Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Fine, I’ll do it. But on one condition: we’re filming in Port Charles. 

She couldn’t stop staring at her screen. The text message was seared into her brain at this point. But that didn’t stop her from hoping that she had read it wrong. She thought she had left Port Charles in her rearview mirror for good. It had been a rough transition, but she finally had her life back together now. The last thing she wanted to do was go back. There was no way anything good would come from it. 

But it didn’t surprise her in the slightest that this was the condition Dillon set. Her uncle was a lot of things: a talented writer, a creative director and photographer, and even a decent singer, but as he continued to get older, the more family-oriented he became. In his mind, he was probably setting up some grand family affair for the two of them and Ned. Not only would Ned get to spend some quality time with his younger brother, but his prodigal daughter would also return. And what a wonderful and dysfunctional family reunion it would be. She couldn’t blame Dillon for trying. He probably only heard bits and pieces about her abrupt move from Ned, who only knew the story Lois had concocted, not the whole truth. As far as any of the Quartermaines knew, it was just a spur-of-the-moment trip that turned into an impulsive decision to move away and get a fresh start. There was no reason to question it. She had made it clear that was what she wanted. They wouldn’t have been able to talk her out of it even if they had tried. 

But of course, that wasn’t the case. Only Brook Lynn, her mother, and her cousin Layla knew the real reason behind the move. And she had done everything in her power to keep it that way. Anyone else finding out would just be a liability and it would lead to a giant target getting painted on her back. One that read: I’ve been hiding in plain sight this entire time Linc. Go ahead and try to find me now. 

If she knew all of the chaos she would have to go through to escape the ever-tightening grip he had on her life when she signed that non-disclosure agreement, she never would have signed it in the first place. She could barely stomach the idea to begin with, but after Chase walked away from her at the Gingerbread Jam, she felt like she had nothing left to lose. She wanted the whole thing to be over and done with. And she just wanted to get her songs back. Chase claimed that he would continue helping her like they had originally planned, but she knew that deep down that was the last thing he wanted. What he really wanted was to have nothing to do with her, and the NDA was a great way to give him that much-desired clean break. So she swallowed her pride and signed it after the event was over. Linc had his legal team quickly throw the document together after their last meeting at Kelly’s and he probably wouldn’t have let her leave Rice Plaza until she signed it anyway. Or at least that the was lie she kept telling herself.  

If that would have been it, maybe her life would have been different. Maybe she would have sold those songs to a few artists and they would have turned them into hit records. Maybe she would have retired from music altogether so she would never have to see or interact with Linc again. Maybe if she schemed more, she would have found a way to never have to fulfill the “extra mile” clause in the NDA. The one that stated she had to help spin a strong counternarrative for Linc whenever she was asked about him in the press. Maybe, maybe, maybe. The thing about the maybe game is that it always came back to bite the one who played it in the ass. As soon as the ink hit the paper, Linc jumped at the chance to hold her to her word and started setting up interviews. Knowing her luck, he probably fed the reporters the questions as well. 

The first one came a couple of days after her conversation with Maxie at the hospital. She had slowly started to accept the truth: she was in love with Chase. But she had hurt him so badly that even if he felt the same, there was no way he would ever forgive her. And knowing that made the recent realization cut like a knife. She needed a distraction and she needed one fast. So she did what she did best: she ran away to Bensonhurst. She had promised her mother that she would visit soon and the idea of catching up with old friends while freezing in Times Square waiting for the ball to drop on New Year’s Eve sounded like the perfect distraction. 

She had barely had enough time to unpack before meeting Layla at Giuseppe’s before she got Linc’s email informing her that he had given her name to a reporter that would be contacting her soon. He claimed it was a great opportunity for Chase’s and Blaze’s careers as well as a way to generate buzz for their duet, but she knew there was more to it. It was clear to see that he was testing her. It wouldn’t have surprised her one bit if Linc claimed breach of contract and took her songs back if she declined. So she did the only thing she could think of: told him that she was taking an extended break over the holidays and would follow up in the new year. All while hoping and praying that Linc didn’t push her on it.

She did her best to put it out of her mind and be in the moment. To spend the quality time she desperately craved with everyone and hit all of her favorite spots in the old neighborhood. But it kept hanging over her like the sad little raincloud that always followed Eeyore. No matter what she did, no matter how many times she claimed she was fine, it was clear to everyone, especially Layla and Lois, that she was lying through her teeth. 

She still didn’t know what came over her or what exactly caused her to spill her guts when they confronted her. But it felt like a weight was lifted off of her shoulders when she finally told them everything. And she meant everything. Learning that Linc still had all the rights to her songs, the scheme with Chase to get them back, keeping the scheme going even after Chase’s concerns that doing so could hurt their relationship, their breakup, the NDA, and her initial reluctance before finally agreeing to it. Which meant that she was essentially in the same position she was in all those years ago when she sacrificed everything in order to get out of her first contract with Linc. 

After that, everything happened so fast. Brook Lynn wasn’t sure if she would’ve been to stop it even if she had wanted to at the time. Lois quickly took over and acted as she did back when she was Brook Lynn’s manager. Layla agreed to help in any way she could and the next thing she knew, they had a plan in place. The three of them would work together to keep Brook Lynn away from Linc for the time being. As far as Linc was aware, only he and Brook Lynn knew about all of the conditions set forth in the NDA and they would do everything they could to keep it that way. If Linc wanted to go after her for breach of contract then he would have to do so through the courts. And doing that would require him to admit to some, if not all, of his shady dealings in order to prove that Brook Lynn didn’t hold up her end of the bargain. It wasn’t a perfect plan, but Lois claimed that it was enough for the time being. It allowed Brook Lynn to keep her songs and hopefully never have to be in the same vicinity as Linc ever again.

But then there was the whole scheme with Chase to deal with. Even though she had her songs back, they still entered into a deal with Linc and Blaze regarding the duet. There were more performances and radio interviews the two of them had to do together as well as any other press events Linc would find an excuse for them to do until the six-week promotion period was up. And Brook Lynn refused to leave him high and dry. While it would sell the idea of there being trouble in paradise and strengthen the chances of Linc wanting to buy out Chase’s contract, she couldn’t stomach the idea of leaving Chase alone to go through with something that he had never wanted to do in the first place. Layla, who also worked in the music industry, volunteered to go to Port Charles and act as Chase’s interim manager until the original deal expired. That way Chase would have someone in his corner and they could change their original plan as needed in case it looked like Linc was starting to get suspicious. 

Once that was all squared away, the only other thing they needed to figure out was a valid enough excuse for why Brook Lynn would have to unexpectedly leave Port Charles with no return date. It had to be believable by all parties involved, including Chase, Ned, and Maxie. It had to be something that no one could question or poke holes in. If they did, it would only be a matter of time before Linc returned to the city to do some investigating of his own. They all knew that Brook Lynn had a reputation for being selfish and putting herself first. So they took it and ran with it. They would claim that Chase’s sudden popularity and claim to fame led to many other artists expressing interest in her being their manager. Including a band that was about to start a European tour and she only had a few days to decide whether to take the job before her services would be needed. It wasn’t a lie per se. It was mostly true, it was just up-and-coming artists who had expressed interest, not any big-name talents. But as Lois informed her daughter, that part didn’t matter. It was believable and if Linc decided to ask around about it, he would find more people who would confirm it rather than deny it. There would be no reason for him to doubt the cover story. 

But if he did? They would already have all of their bases covered. They made sure that there was no way for him to contact her unless he forced her to appear in court. Something all three of them were certain he would never do. And to play it extra safe, Lois decided it wouldn’t hurt if Brook Lynn left Bensonhurst, and the state of New York, for a while. It not only helped make their story more believable but it would make sure she was even further away from Linc. The plan was a quick and messy one, but they all knew it would work. The only downside was that it affected Brook Lynn’s chances of becoming a successful manager. If she wanted to stay in the music business, she would have to consider a career change of some kind. Whether that meant going back to songwriting or starting over in a new genre would be up to her. And she would have plenty of time to figure that out while she was in Nashville. Yes, Nashville. Music City. The home of country music. The city that just so happened to be holding a week-long songwriting festival to help kick off the new year. 

And so their plan was complete. Brook Lynn would attend the festival, maybe visit Dillon in LA, and then possibly return to Bensonhurst until she figured out what the next phase of her career would be. Layla would go to Port Charles to cover for her and Lois would keep her ears peeled in case Linc was digging into their cover story.

Everything had gone perfectly. The plan worked. Except she never left Nashville. She attended the festival, made some new friends, and it turned out she could write a hell of a country song. But it wasn’t just one song that she lucked out on, it ended up being multiple. Once the faucet was turned on, it wouldn’t stop. Which, luckily for her, was exactly what she needed since she was now one the newest Nashville songwriters that everyone in country music wanted to work with. 

Something that never would have happened if it wasn’t for Bryce. The guy she randomly met in a bar the night she arrived and had quickly turned into one of her best friends and most-trusted confidants. If only she could go back to that night and tell herself just how much her life would change by taking that empty barstool next to the man with a dark brown fade haircut and kind blue eyes. She probably wouldn’t believe it. A lot had happened in the past year and Brook Lynn couldn’t shake the strange feeling that everything was supposed to happen that way. That she had to go through all of the struggles she did in order to appreciate her newfound success and know her true worth. 

Her career in Nashville was something that she could only attribute to herself. People didn’t want to work with her because she was Lois Cerullo’s daughter or because her last name was Quartermaine. The Quartermaines weren’t even super well-known here. If your last name wasn’t Jennings, Cash, Haggard, Nelson, Parton, or Lynn then nobody cared. All that mattered was your talent and how much you appreciated the history and storytelling nature of the genre. And lucky for Brook Lynn, she was a quick study. The longer she stayed, the more she appreciated the genre, its nuances, and how it felt like one big giant–and even dysfunctional at times–family. In fact, she felt right at home. 

And it showed. From attending songwriting festivals and writer’s rounds to just sitting and talking at her new go-to bar, she was getting new song ideas everywhere. It was like she couldn’t put pen to paper fast enough. Bryce claimed that she was just a natural at songwriting, but she soon realized that it was more than that. It was her coping mechanism, it was her catharsis, it was her way of working through all of the trauma and chaos she had faced over the last few years. She already wore her heart on her sleeve when she wrote her lyrics and it turned out that many country artists, and their fans, loved how authentic and relatable that made her songs feel. Between adding a few lyrics here and there about dirt roads, pickup trucks, living in a small town, going hunting and fishing, and also publishing her songs under a pseudonym, it had been easy for her to both advance her career and stay off of Linc’s radar. Even if he found his way to Nashville, for some strange reason, there was no way anyone would believe the one and only BLQ now fully embraced the lifestyle of a country artist. 

Bryce was yet another big help in that department. Not only did they bond over heartbreaks and kind of similar upbringings when they first met, but they also ended up attending many of the same panels at that first songwriting festival. They even worked together on a new song in a few of the workshops. Shortly after that, he took Brook Lynn under his wing and introduced her to many of his friends and colleagues in the city, including his little sister Caitlyn who quickly became one of Brook Lynn’s biggest cheerleaders. The more Brook Lynn found herself hanging out with Bryce, Caitlyn, and their friends, the less she found herself wanting to leave. And after she sold her first song; it felt like fate. She was no longer just visiting Nashville, it was where she truly belonged.

And now it had been over a year since she arrived in Music City. So much had happened and yet it felt like no time had passed at all. It was strange for her to think about it. Her life in Port Charles and her life in Nashville felt like two completely different worlds. Two worlds that were about to collide all because she had the great idea of reaching out to Dillon to see if he would be interested in directing a music video for Bryce’s newest single. A single that Bryce was really excited about; wanted it to do really well; and its success, or lack thereof, could possibly affect his future with his record label. And because of that, Bryce and his team were pulling out all of the stops.

Brook Lynn knew it was a shot in the dark but she reached out to Dillon anyway. The worse he could do was say no, but since Taylor Swift had made it a smart career move to direct music videos, she had a feeling he would at least consider it. Which is exactly what he did. He heard the pitch, talked extensively with Bryce about the story behind the song and what his vision for the video was, discussed payment terms with Bryce’s team, and then finally texted his niece back saying yes but only if it was shot in Port Charles. He also expected Brook Lynn to join them on set. The idea of returning didn’t scare her anymore. But it was still something she never thought she would do again. It was something she used to dream about but that dream had faded away months ago. Port Charles would always be her hometown, it would always be the place where most of her family was from, but it wasn’t her home anymore. 

And yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was holding her back. Something else kept her from wanting to return to Port Charles. Or possibly someone: Chase. She couldn’t stomach the idea of seeing him again. Even after all this time apart, her heart still ached for him. It still yearned for the days when he used to look at her like she hung the moon instead of the days when all she was hurt pooled in his eyes. Whether it was guilt or that strange hold that everyone’s first love has on them, she wasn’t sure. It was still something she was trying to figure out but she needed to get to the bottom of it soon. She would be back in Port Charles before she knew it. If she really wanted to, she could find a way to get out of it and Dillon would still keep his word. She already had to reschedule a few songwriting sessions in order to be available for this last-minute trip. She could easily use that as her excuse for staying behind but she couldn’t do that to Bryce. She couldn’t send him to Port Charles where he would, no doubt, be confronted with a million questions about how she was, why she left, and who knows what else. It wasn’t fair to him. This was her bed, she had to lay in it. No matter how uncomfortable it was.

She felt her phone vibrate in her hands, bringing her back to reality. She couldn’t help but smile when she saw who it was. Something about seeing her phone light up with his name on it always made her smile lately. Bryce had slowly found a way to become one of the most important people in her life. She truly couldn’t imagine what it would look like without him. 

I’m here. Are you ready to go? 

She took a deep breath as she glanced around her loft one last time before she grabbed her suitcase and sent a quick reply: Ready as I’ll ever be. Be right down.

*              *             *            *           *

He was preoccupied as he heard his apartment door slamming behind him. He didn’t mean for it to close that loudly and he hoped that his neighbors would forgive him…again. That seemed to be happening a lot lately, especially whenever he saw that familiar return address in his stack of mail. It had been over a year at this point. It shouldn’t affect him as much anymore, yet it always did. Every time another envelope from Bensonshurst appeared in his mailbox, all of those conflicted feelings of guilt, dread, and anticipation flooded his system. Because it was the only way he was still connected to her. It was his only reminder of the brief time they shared together. A time he was desperate to get back. A time that he would redo over and over until the results played out differently. 

Except that was the problem. Time didn’t work that way, it only moved forward.  And each day that had passed since he learned that Brook Lynn left Port Charles, for good this time, had been excruciating. Yes, he was mad at her for not writing the letter for the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Yes, he was hurt that she didn’t believe in him or support his career as a cop but he knew that he would eventually get over those feelings. He knew he couldn’t stay mad at her forever. Their chances of being in another romantic relationship may have been slim, but he always assumed that she would still remain in his life. They would still see each other around town, maybe even be friends again. And a little part of him even thought that one day, down the road, they might try dating again. If the feelings were still there and they were both open to it, he would have jumped at the chance. But, of course, he had come to this realization long after Brook Lynn had skipped town. It was worthless debating over it now. She was gone. She was clearly never coming back. And he knew that he was entirely to blame for it. 

Layla all but told him that straight to his face when he confronted her about it. He wasn’t buying the story of Brook Lynn having a great career opportunity she just couldn’t pass up, even for a second. He fully believed in her potential as a manager, but there was no way she would skip out on her responsibilities without at least calling or getting word to him first. It didn’t help that Ned and Olivia were just as dumbfounded as he was about everything. Something had to be going on. But Layla insisted that Brook Lynn just wanted a fresh start and figured this was the best way to go about things. She claimed that Brook Lynn wanted to call him but was afraid of his reaction so she decided it was just better for them to a have clean break. A clean break that included having Layla, one of Brook Lynn’s Bensonhurst cousins, someone he had never met before, represent him for six short weeks before he was out of the music business forever. Something that he should have been grateful, or even excited, about but he was anything but. He was confused, he was hurt, but mostly, he was sad about how everything had played out.

He kept playing their last conversations over and over again in his head, trying to find anything that could pinpoint the exact moment when she decided she had enough. That he was being so harsh and mean toward her that she gave up on trying to fix things between them. The point where she probably decided that he was too angry with her to want anything to do with her ever again.

“Come on Chase, do you know how hard it is for me to swallow my pride? To come here and basically get on my hands and knees to plead with you to help me?” 

“And do you know how hard it is for me to say no to you?” 

He hated thinking about how harsh he was with her at the gym that day. Looking back on it now, it was a simple request. He had already given his word to perform at the Gingerbread Jam, and he was being an ass by trying to get out of it last minute. He was hurt and he was punishing everyone around him, but that was the last thing he should have done. He still regretted the next words that came out of his mouth and all of the pain that flooded in her eyes afterward: “I will do whatever it takes so that I am not tethered to you.” 

That must have been the final straw for her. There was no other logical conclusion for why she would leave Port Charles, and her family, high and dry unless she was really hurt. Especially if it was someone she thought she could trust who was the one doing the hurting. He saw how hurt she was when Ned practically disowned her and kicked her out of the Quartermaine mansion. He saw how much she was trying to mask the pain in public but was secretly breaking apart behind closed doors. He saw it again after they had to give Bailey back, and he should have seen how his words and actions would have reopened all of those old wounds. He was just too hurt and confused by his own feelings to see clearly. 

Which of course was no use to him now. Now that it was months after he came to that conclusion. All it did was hurt him more. He hated that he hurt her. He never wanted to be the cause of someone else’s pain, especially if it was someone he once really cared about. And he couldn’t explain it, but it felt like every time she was hurting, he was hurting as well. Which just made him hate himself even more. How could he be so mean and so cruel? 

He claimed it was because she had done the same thing to him by not helping him get his job back, but then she pulled some strings and got him another hearing. And how did he repay her? By telling her that they could never go back to the way things were and walking away, leaving her stranded in Rice Plaza on Christmas Eve. Something that he had regretted doing ever since, but knowing that interaction would serve as the last time he saw her was a gut punch he would never get over. What did that say about him? That he would treat someone who once meant so much to him in such a mean and nasty way. Especially after everything she had done to try to make it up to him. 

And she continued to help him in any way she could after she left town, which only continued to twist the metaphorical knife in his stomach. She sent Layla to Port Charles so he wouldn’t be alone during his promotional deal with Blaze and once that was over, he learned that Brook Lynn had given up any ownership claims she had to “Falling Into Place,” meaning that he, solely, would collect all of the royalties from it. Something that Layla had informed him would be enough to set him up for years to come. Especially since she was going to shop it around and do her best to make it the next big soundtrack song. Meaning that every romantic comedy and tween-targeted TV show in existence would want to use it in some way, shape, or form. And that is exactly what she did, so now he constantly got checks with way too many zeros on them. And he didn’t know what to do with any of them. He just let them pile up on his coffee table until he got sick of looking at them. Then he would finally make a large deposit into his account before going to Charlie’s to distract himself with a drink. 

If that wasn’t enough to break him then finally reading the letter Brook Lynn wrote for the CCRB definitely did. She really laid her heart on the line as she described what an upstanding, protective, courageous, and compassionate guy he was. He had to do everything in his power to keep it together and not tear himself apart from the inside out when he got to the part where she took responsibility for him punching Valentin and Linc. She had already told him she did that but reading the actual words she wrote was something completely different. How she could simultaneously tear herself to shreds while building his character up, he would never understand. But he had also quickly come to learn that he would probably never truly understand Brook Lynn and why she did the things she did. Even if he was still mad and hurt by her actions, it infuriated him that she couldn’t ever see herself in a positive light. She was much more than the troublemaker from Bensonhurst with a poor attitude but she always seemed to revert back to that person every time she felt hurt or lonely. Yet her letter was something else entirely. She didn’t seem hurt, she didn’t even seem misunderstood. Instead, she appeared broken and was taking advantage of every opportunity she could to berate herself. 

Just as he was trying to process everything Brook Lynn had written in the letter, he got the news that he had been desperately wanting to hear for almost a year: “You’ve been reinstated.” And the knife in his stomach twisted even more. Everything he had always wanted was finally right in front of him. He should have felt ecstatic, but he didn’t, he felt empty. It didn’t feel earned, or even warranted at that point. And even though everyone he knew was happy and willing to celebrate with him when he shared the news, it still didn’t feel real. 

Because the one person he really wanted to celebrate with wasn’t there and he had no way of contacting her. When she disappeared from Port Charles, her online appearance disappeared too. She stopped posting on social media and then one day all of her accounts were gone, almost like they never existed in the first place. It was like she was obliterated from his life. And now all he had was a singular text from her that he still swore had been sent to him by accident: Hey it’s Brook Lynn, this is my new number. Don’t ask why I changed it.

She really had gotten a fresh start and it was clear as day that she wanted nothing to do with him. It was the only logical reason why she never returned to Port Charles, not even for a visit. He wasn’t exaggerating when he said that it had been the longest year of his life. After he got his badge back and his life returned to normal, it was hard to not let his mind wander about what could have been. He knew asking “what if?” was a dangerous game but he couldn’t help it. What if he handled things differently? What if they were still together when she got the call to take over managing that band? Would she have said yes? What if she had called him and told him about everything instead of sending Layla in after the fact? Would he have been able to get her to stay? 

If he wasn’t distracted by hypotheticals, then he was constantly being reminded of Brook Lynn and their history together. No matter what he did all roads led back to her. Whether it was finding one of his shirts that he knew she loved in his closet or simply going to Kelly’s to meet up with his dad, or Finn and Violet; there were reminders of her at every turn. It didn’t help that he also thought he kept seeing her out of the corner of his eye everywhere he went. Getting a drink at Charlie’s, sitting on one of the lounge chairs at the Metro Court Pool, meeting up with Maxie and Bailey at the park, hell, he even thought he saw her in the crowd of a random hockey game when he channel surfing one night. And then there were the countless nights that she appeared in his dreams. Sometimes they were flashbacks of their time with Bailey, or of their dates, or any time he just got to spend with her before she left. Other times they ranged anywhere from what he thought she might be up to now to her randomly showing up at his door and asking if enough time had passed for him to finally forgive her. Sometimes she even asked if they could get back together but he always woke up before he gave her an answer. Her ghost was following him everywhere. He knew that it was just a manifestation of his guilt but that didn’t make it any easier to process. He had a feeling that this guilt would eat away at him for the rest of his life. No matter what he did, there would always be a part of him that would never let him forget how he treated her. It would always be his fault that Brook Lynn was no longer in Port Charles and no one would ever be able to convince him otherwise. 

He shook his head as he placed the newest envelope from Layla on top of the others and sank into his couch. Why was he still doing this to himself? There was no point to it. She wasn’t coming back and he would never get to tell her how sorry he was. He would never get to tell her how grateful he was for the role she played in getting his job back. That was just the way it was. He could spend the rest of the night beating himself up about it or he could distract himself until the moment passed. Which is exactly what he decided to do. He knew his dad had been pulling some crazy hours with Alexis at The Invader lately and that they both would probably forget to eat if they were in the middle of breaking a crazy story. He would swing by the Metro Court for food and then pay his father a visit, playing the role of the doting and concerned son. It would be perfect. Or so he thought because when he arrived at the Metro Court to pick up his order, all it took was one familiar voice for his perfect plan and his carefully curated facade to come crumbling down. 

“Okay, Olivia I get it. You missed me but can you please let go now? It’s getting really hard to breathe.” 

“Well, can you blame me?” Olivia replied as she stopped hugging the voice in question and Chase was finally able to determine whether he was hallucinating or not. Brook Lynn lightly shook her head and brushed some hair behind her ear, making it clear to Chase that this was no daydream. He could imagine a lot about her. Her long wavy black hair, her brown eyes that acted like a mirror to her soul, her soft laugh when she was impressed by something but didn’t want anyone else to know, the way her face lit up when she came up with a scheme, the way her lips felt every time he kissed her, and countless other things about her that he had slowly committed to memory. But he could never imagine the sight before him. She was still as radiant as ever with her hair all swept over one shoulder, a smile spreading across her lips as Olivia told her all about Leo’s newest obsession, and the faint wave of nervousness sweeping over her as the conversation continued. It was something he had witnessed many times as they danced around their true feelings for the other while taking care of Bailey. He wanted nothing more than to run up to her, grab her hand, and tell her that everything would be okay.  

But he didn’t. Mostly because he was still awestruck by the fact that she was back in Port Charles, but also because the spot next to her was already taken by someone else. Someone Chase had never seen before, but still looked familiar to him for some reason. He looked to be about Chase’s height with dark brown hair that seemed to be shaved along the sides but still long and tapered on the top. He also had a scruffy beard that framed the huge smile that was plastered on his face as he listened in on Brook Lynn and Olivia’s conversation. A conversation that Chase could barely pay attention to because he was distracted by the fact that the mysterious guy next to Brook Lynn had his hand resting on the small of her back. 

He took a deep breath as he did his best to calm the mix of jealousy and guilt that was coursing through him. Brook Lynn was back and she seemed happy, wasn’t that all that mattered? He took out his phone and started to scroll through it aimlessly as he did his best to collect himself. There was no avoiding this, he had put in an order on his way here, it would be ready any second, and Brook Lynn, Olivia, and the mystery man all happened to be standing next to the bar. The exact spot where he would have to pick up his order. Unless some miracle happened where they lost his order or the three of them moved to a different part of the restaurant, it would be unavoidable. He and Brook Lynn would have to see and interact with each other for the first time in over a year. He took another deep, calming breath as he started to make his way over to the bar. He couldn’t help but try to listen in on their conversation as he did. 

“You have no idea how nice it is to see you in person,” Olivia was saying as a huge smile spread across her face, “I mean video chat is nice and all, but it can’t hold a candle to the real thing! And by the looks of it, Nashville has been treating you well.” 

“Yeah, it has. It’s a great city,” Brook Lynn said as she slightly turned her head and felt her breath get caught in the back of her throat as Chase approached, the two of them locking eyes as he did, “Chase?”

“Brook Lynn,” he started, doing his best to appear calm and collected, “You’re back.”

He watched as she took a deep breath and the mystery man beside her gently pulled her closer to his side before she finally replied, “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

Chapter Text

“Thank you, Port Charles! You were on fire tonight! You are the farthest thing from a nothing to do town and I promise that I’ll be back to see y’all again real soon!”

She couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head as she crossed the dance floor of the Savoy. Of course, he would pull that line out. It may have worked at some of his other gigs, but it would never fly here. And it was extremely cheesy to boot. She made a mental note to remind him of that. If she played her cards right, she might be able to stop him from saying it altogether.

“You did amazing!” She exclaimed as she stretched her arms out for a hug.

“Were you really expecting anything different?” Bryce asked, smiling confidently as he leaned into her embrace, “I had to make sure to give my best for the hometown crowd.” 

She gave him a small smile as she stepped out of the hug, “And trust me, they loved you. You had every person in the crowd in the palm of your hand.” 

“Of course I did,” Bryce replied as he set down his guitar and his warm smile turned into an ice-cold glare, “Now what about you?”

She felt a chill travel up her spine. Why the sudden change? What possibly could have happened to create such a harsh reaction in him? This wasn’t the typical post-show Bryce. In fact, she wasn’t sure if she had ever seen him without a smile or a smirk on his face. “What about me?” 

“Don’t you think you have some explaining to do?” he answered except it was no longer Bryce standing in front of her. It was Chase. She scanned the Savoy in confusion, trying desperately to find where Bryce had disappeared off to, but it all blurred together. The others in the crowd turned into apparitions of their former selves and the only ones who remained were her and Chase. She blinked a few times in shock, hoping that it was just a hallucination but nothing changed. Chase remained where he was with just as much hurt and hate in his eyes as the night he called things off, “Did you really think that I wouldn’t figure it all out?”

“Chase, I swear I was doing what I thought was best for everyone involved!” 

The voice and image in front of her morphed again into someone else, someone she hoped she would never have to see again.  “Of course you were. But let’s be honest here Brook Lynn, you did it because it was best for you. That’s what you always do. You’re nothing but a trader who only cares about herself!”

“Linc?” 

He rolled his eyes before he latched onto her arm, strengthening his hold as the next words flowed out of his mouth, “Who else would it be? Did you really think that you’re little hide-but-no-seek game would work? Did you seriously think that I wouldn’t find you? Especially after everything you’ve done? I own you Brook Lynn! And now, you’re going to lose everything.”

She frantically scanned around the Savoy again, this time looking for an escape, for anyone who might be able to help as Linc’s grip grew tighter and tighter around her arm. She did her best to scream. In pain. Out for help. Either option would work, but her voice was gone. The harder she tried, the worse it got. Nothing was happening. She opened her mouth but only silence came out. It was like when Nelle attacked her all over again. She had no voice to cry for help, no one was coming to save her, and it felt like the walls were finally closing in. Her vision slowly disappeared as the blackness in the corners of her eyes took over. The last thing she saw before everything went completely dark was Linc’s smug and gruesome smirk. The war between them was finally over and he had won. 

*              *             *            *           *

“No!” Brook Lynn screamed as she was jolted awake. She took a few deep breaths as she sat up and looked around, trying desperately to ground herself before a panic attack set in. It was eerie how much it felt like no time had passed since she was calling this room in the Quartermaine mansion home. It didn’t help that everything still looked the same. Whether it was all of the clothes that she left in the dresser or the pink tiger panting that hung near her bed, it felt like a mausoleum. Even after she had told everyone, including Monica, that she wasn’t coming back, no one had done anything to her room. No one tried to pack it up or move her stuff to a different part of the house. It just sat there, perfectly pristine, waiting for someone who would never return. She may be back for a short visit, but who she was when she left and who she was when she returned were two completely different people. Yet she was already back for less than 12 hours and the nightmares, she believed were gone for good, had already returned. And they had returned with a vengeance. 

“I knew I shouldn’t have come back here,” She said as she shook her head, trying desperately to keep her raging thoughts at bay. The last thing she needed was to return to that broken and desperate place she had worked so hard to crawl out of. It had taken a lot of time and patience but she finally realized that she was worthy. That she deserved happiness. And there was no way she was going to let anything, or anyone, take that away from her. 

She threw the covers off to the side as she forced herself to get out of bed and start getting ready for the day. Dillon would arrive soon and then it would be full speed ahead. The sooner they shot Bryce’s video, the sooner they could all leave. And she would finally be able to put Port Charles in her rearview. For good this time. While she was grateful for the chance to be back and be able to give proper goodbyes to her dad, Olivia, Leo, Maxie, and Bailey this time around; she also had this strong inkling that the longer she stayed in Port Charles, the stronger the chances of Linc randomly showing up were. And after everything she had done to escape his control, to be as free of him as she possibly could, that was the absolute last thing she desired.

As she finished getting ready, she couldn’t help but flashback to the events of the previous night. She knew she would have to see him eventually, but she didn’t think it would have been that soon. A small part of her even thought that she would be able to avoid him altogether. She had heard from Olivia that he got his badge back, so she figured if she walked the straight and narrow that she would be fine. But just her luck, he had shown up during the brief 30 minutes it took her to show Bryce around the Metro Court.

She shook her head as she started making her way downstairs, all she could see was Chase and how his eyes seemed to light up when he saw her. Get it together girl, he wasn’t happy to see you. That was pure shock and you know it. 

No one except Olivia and her dad knew that she was coming back, so of course he would be surprised to see her. Especially since it had been over a year and they didn’t end things on the best of terms. Not to mention that she left him high and dry in the middle of the Linc scheme. She still remembered how he blew her phone up with messages that first night in Nashville. They ranged from angry to annoyed to concerned. She knew that he had every right to be upset and want answers, but she was so overwhelmed that she ghosted him. And she still felt a little guilty about it. And it was partly why she included him in the group chat when she changed her number a few weeks later. It was a small gesture, but it was the only way she could remain close to him and keep their connection alive. And if by some grace of God, he felt the same way, then he would have a way to contact her. But he never did. So she eventually did her best to move on and get over him. Or at least that was the lie that she told herself every day until it eventually became true. But the numerous butterflies she felt in the pit of her stomach when she made eye contact with him proved that at least a part of her never truly believed it.

Out of all the ways their interaction could have gone, she was thoroughly surprised that they both managed to take the high road and make it a good one. She had spent many sleepless nights worrying about what their first interaction would look like–if it would even happen at all–and it always ended with him yelling at her. The hurt in his eyes was always on full display and was even more heartbreaking than when he broke things off.

But instead, the interaction was very civil. They spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries and during the whole interaction, she felt an overwhelming amount of relief wash over her as Bryce kept a reassuring grip on her hip. Once again, he acted as her rock and was right there to support her in any way she needed. He didn’t know much about her history with Chase but he knew enough to realize that the man standing in front of them was the inspiration behind many of the heartbreak songs that paved the way to her becoming one of Nashville’s newest, most in-demand songwriters. 

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she almost tripped down the main staircase when the doorbell rang so loudly it caused the entryway to turn into an echo chamber. She grasped the hand railing and took a few deep breaths to steady herself before she called out, “I’ve got it!”

She shook her head, doing everything in her power to put the events of last night behind her once and for all. As she lightly jogged down the stairs and made her way to the door, she took one final calming breath, bracing herself for whoever was on the other side. She didn’t know who or what to expect, but she knew that whoever it was would probably bombard her with a million questions. Besides running into Chase and stopping by the Deception offices to surprise Maxie, Sasha, and Lucy, no one else knew that she was back. And she wanted to do her best to keep it that way. In fact, the fewer people who were aware of her return, the better.

“Uncle Sonny!” She exclaimed, a mixed look of confusion and surprise spreading across her face as she did. Out of all the people to be visiting the Quartermaines this early in the morning, her godfather was one of the last people she expected, “Are you here to see Michael? Does this mean you two finally made up?”

“Hey Brook Lynn, it’s good to see ya,” her godfather replied as he smiled kindly at her and stepped forward to give her a hug, “I appreciate you asking about me and Michael but, no, that still hasn’t been worked out yet. I’m actually here to see you.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that. Wait, why me?” 

Sonny chuckled as they broke out of their hug and he turned around to face the looming bodyguard behind him before he explained, “Listen, your mother called me last night. She said that you’re going to be back in town for a few days and that she’s worried about ya. Now, I don’t need you to explain anything or tell me why you’re back. I just need to know if you’re alright.” 

“Yeah, Uncle Sonny I’m okay. I’m sorry that Ma called you and made you rush over here. I’ll be fine.” 

Sonny let out another little laugh as he pointed to the bodyguard behind him, “I know that you’ll be fine because you see that guard back there?” 

Brook Lynn nodded as she glanced between the unnamed man and her godfather, “Uncle Sonny, you know that I am aware of your business dealings right? You don’t need to tell me why you have bodyguards with you all the time.” 

“Yes, I’m aware of that Brook Lynn. Except Bob isn’t here for me, he’s here for you.”

“What?”

“Now you know that your mom and I go way back. And that she can come to me for anything, but Lois doesn’t like asking for help unless she absolutely needs it. Now that tells me that whatever you’ve gotten yourself into is pretty serious. So Bob here is going to serve as your bodyguard while you’re back in town. And I know that you don’t have the best history with this, but from now on wherever you go, Bob goes, you got that?”

Brook Lynn let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding as she gave Sonny a soft smile and nodded, “I got it. Bob is going to be following me around like a puppy whether I like it or not. It will be better for everyone if I just go along with it.” 

“Exactly because you gotta know that your mom only wants what’s best for ya. In fact, we all do.” 

“We?”

“You know me, your parents, Olivia, everyone else that cares about you. Also, I want you to remember that if you’re in some kind of trouble, you can always come to me. You’re family, you always have been and you always will be. End of story.”

“Thank you, Uncle Sonny,” she replied as she gave her godfather another hug. She hated to admit it, but the idea of having an extra set of eyes on the lookout for anything–or anyone–suspicious helped ease some of the apprehensions she had about being back. She may have hated the idea of having a bodyguard back when Valentin forced one on her, but the idea of having one now she found to be very calming and reassuring. It helped lift one of the many weights off of her shoulders.

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re back.” 

She couldn’t help but laugh at him, “I think you might be the only one.”

Sonny chuckled yet again as he added, “Make sure to stop by the Penthouse before you leave so we can have a proper goodbye this time, alright?” 

She nodded slightly as she waved for Bob to come inside, “You got it. Thank you again, Uncle Sonny.”

Sonny just nodded his head before he turned to leave, passing Bob as he did. After Brook Lynn closed the door, she turned to Bob and asked, “So is Bob short for anything? Like Robert or something?” 

Bob didn’t reply. Instead, he just shook his head, held his hands behind his back, and stared at her. Despite the interaction being one of the most awkward ones she had ever experienced, she felt very comforted by it. If Bob was making her feel this way, she could only imagine what he might do to someone who wanted to cause her harm. “Okay then, good talk. I’m going to go to the kitchen for breakfast and try to find my dad. Are you going to follow me or are you going to stay here?” She waited a few minutes for him to reply and when he didn’t she added, “I’ll take that as you’re going to stay here. I will make sure to come back and get you before I leave.”

He gave her a slight nod and she couldn’t help but take another deep, calming breath as she started toward the kitchen. She had no idea how long it would take to film the music video or how long she would end up sticking around, but she had a feeling that time would move excruciatingly slow for the remainder of her visit. 

*              *             *            *           *

The rest of the morning flew by surprisingly fast as Brook Lynn grabbed a light breakfast and learned that Dillon wouldn’t be arriving until the next day because of some last-minute business he had to attend to. She also learned that her uncle would be sending her a list of tasks to complete so they wouldn’t fall behind in the shooting process, especially since they were working with a limited schedule and time was of the essence. Which Brook Lynn was entirely grateful for. If her hunch about Dillon wanting them to film in Port Charles so she could smooth things out with her family was correct, that meant he could drag the entire process out for as long as he wanted. But knowing that he also had a busy life to get back to was a relief; it allowed her hopes about this being just a quick visit to become more of a reality. 

But it also meant that the small list of people who knew she was back in Port Charles would have to grow since the first item on Dillon’s list was to go location scouting and determine which places would work best for the storyline he wanted to portray. But with Bryce by her side, and Bob following closely behind, the idea of letting everyone in town know she was back was no longer a scary proposition. She still wanted to keep a low profile and return to Nashville as soon as possible, but she found the idea of getting to show Bryce around the city she once called home to be very enticing. Especially since Bryce had gone out of his way to do the same thing when he invited her to join him and Caitlyn on their trip home for Thanksgiving.

After she went to the Metro Court to meet Bryce and they quickly looked over Dillon’s storyboard, they spent the rest of the day exploring the city and brainstorming ideas for the video. They started with the other parts of the Metro Court Bryce didn’t get a chance to see the night before. When they were done there, Brook Lynn showed Bryce the Waterfront including the docks and Kelly’s before they stopped at Haven Bistro for lunch. At each place, she made sure to study Bryce carefully in order to gain some ideas about what he was thinking. Not only about each location but also how he felt about Port Charles as a whole. Brook Lynn hated the insecurities that were flowing through her but she needed to know what he was thinking. She also hoped that Bryce was at least a little impressed by Port Charles. It was one of the few places that shaped her and even if she didn’t call it home anymore, a little part of her would always remain. If Bryce didn’t like it, she couldn’t help but imagine how that might affect the way he saw her going forward. Especially since she already didn’t fit the stereotypical country mold of being a small-town outdoorsy girl with big dreams and a guitar. 

As they continued exploring the city, she found herself opening up more and being more willing to share what she liked about each location which helped Bryce open up more as well. Before she knew it, they had spent most of the day joking around and playing off of each other just like they would when they hung out in Centennial Park or at their favorite bar on Broadway. She found herself loosening up again and allowing herself to be a bit more carefree as she showed Bryce the park, Rice Plaza, and then ended their scouting excursion at Charlie’s.

“I’m gonna be honest,” Bryce started as they both took a seat at the bar, “I wasn’t sure what to expect of Port Charles. You were so tightlipped about it before I figured it was going to be a nothing to do town.”

“And now that you’ve had a chance to see it?” she wondered, doing her best not to roll her eyes at him and his not-so-subtle way of name-dropping a song from his last EP.

“It’s a really cool place and I can see why people find it so alluring,” he replied while winking at her. 

“Oh alluring, what a fancy word,” she added as she raised an eyebrow at him, “Was that in the word a day calendar Caitlyn got you for Christmas?”

“Hey! How do you know about that?” 

She couldn’t help but let out a little laugh as she brushed some hair off of her shoulder, “Who do you think gave her the idea in the first place?” 

Just as Bryce was about to reply, they heard a loud sigh behind them and they both turned around to find an annoyed Kristina confronting Bob, “How many times do I need to tell my father that I don’t need you or any of the other goons following me around? I can handle myself!”

Brook Lynn watched nervously as the rest of the interaction played out. Bob didn’t seem the least bit concerned. He just stood in front of the giant Charlie’s sign, not even flinching as Kristina grabbed for her phone and threatened to call Sonny. After taking a brief moment to wonder if Bob was going to interject or just continue being a statue, Brook Lynn decided it was probably best if she intervened, “Hey Kristina, I think there might be a bit of a mix-up here.”

“Brook Lynn? Nice to see that you’re back in town,” Kristina started as she stared daggers at Bob, “But there’s no mix-up, we’ve had some break-ins recently and Bob here is just one of the many guards my dad has sent over to babysit me. But just like all the others, I’m sending him back.”

Brook Lynn glanced between the two of them and couldn’t help but be impressed by how Kristina’s meltdown didn’t seem to faze Bob in the slightest. His ever-looming presence might be annoying to Kristina, but Brook Lynn found herself getting calmer and more relaxed by the second. Bob was clearly a seasoned professional when it came to protecting Sonny and his family, if he could handle the unpredictable nature of Sonny’s life then he would definitely be able to handle Linc. “Actually Kristina, Sonny is having Bob babysit me, not you.” 

Kristina turned to face Brook Lynn for the first time that evening and the shock on her face was clear as day, “Really? Do I want to know why?” 

Brook Lynn shook her head as they both started walking back toward the bar, “Let’s just say that we both know what it’s like to have an overprotective parent who just wants what’s best for us. But can I ask you a serious question: does Bob ever talk?” 

Kristina laughed as she made her way behind the bar, “I think so but he takes his job very seriously. I think I’ve only seen him converse with Dad on a few rare occasions. I’m also sorry for my outburst earlier. With all the goons my dad has been sending over and my mother trying to talk me out of managing this place for what feels like the umpteenth time, I’ve just about had it with both of my parents doing what they think is best for me. How about I get you a drink on the house to make up for it?”

Both Brook Lynn and Bryce gave each other a little look before Brook Lynn replied, “Sure, why not. It’s five o’clock somewhere right?” 

“And you told me you didn’t know that Alan Jackson song,” Bryce joked as Kristina raised her eyebrows at the two of them. 

Brook Lynn lightly shook her head as she waved the comment off, “Just ignore him, he thinks he’s being funny.”

“Will do,” Kristina replied as she set two coasters in front of them, “Let me guess…you’ll have a Black Russian?” 

This time it was Bryce’s turn to raise his eyebrows at Brook Lynn as she let out a little laugh, “I can’t even remember the last time I had one of those. How did you even know that used to be my drink? I don’t think I ever ordered one while you were working.”

“Simple. When I took over as the manager, I wanted to make sure I got to know our regulars and what their usual orders were. So if it’s not a Black Russian, what will it be?”

“Yeah Brook Lynn, what will it be?” Bryce asked, a giant smirk spreading across his face as he silently let her know that he wouldn’t be letting this new little tidbit go anytime soon. 

Brook Lynn pursed her lips and thought it over for a bit before answering, “I’m in a whiskey mood tonight. Does that work for you?”

Bryce couldn’t help but smile as he added, “You know that I’m always in the mood for that.” 

Brook Lynn did her best to hold back a laugh as she added, “Two whiskeys, neat. His doesn’t have to be on the house.”

Bryce did his best to act offended as Kristina laughed at the sentiment, “Coming right up.”

As Kristina walked to the other end of the bar to start getting their drinks together, Brook Lynn turned back to Bryce and asked, “So what do you think? Did any of the places we visited stand out to you?” 

Bryce nodded as his eyes scanned over the bar, “Yeah a few of them did. I really like this place too, it reminds me of Wildcard. It has that same lowkey small-town vibe.” 

“You know what, it does feel a lot like Wildcard. So are we thinking this is one of the spots we tell Dillon is a must-shoot?”

“Most definitely,” Bryce added as his eyes lit up at the thought of it, “This should be the performance spot. It’s the perfect place for it and then the video can still have that authentic country feel!”

“I knew it!” Brook Lynn started as Kristina returned with their drinks, “I knew you didn’t want to film it here. You would rather film it in your hometown or somewhere on Broadway. Why didn’t you say anything?” 

Bryce shook his head as he picked up his glass and took a sip from it, “No, I’m glad we’re doing it here and that your uncle is directing it. I’m just saying that it’ll be nice to make sure that the video still has some country flare, especially since this is the single that my label is putting a lot of money behind to promote. On radio, streaming, CMT, you name it.”

“Okay got it. So we’ll use Charlie’s for the performance aspect of the video. What about the meet-cute? Or some of the date scenes Dillon wants to film?” 

“Could we do some of them here? The chorus is all about how the couple met in a bar.”

Brook Lynn nodded as she pulled out her phone and started furiously typing their thoughts into her notes app, “That’s true but Dillon wants to shoot in various locations in order to enhance the story in your song. We’ll need to give him more locations than just Charlie’s.”

“You’re right,” Bryce added as he took another sip from his glass, “Your stepmom said we could shoot anywhere we wanted at the hotel right?”

Brook Lynn nodded as she also took a sip of her drink and replied, “Yeah. The restaurant is pretty busy throughout the day but with the Gardens opening up for the season soon, it’ll probably calm down and we can shoot there or we could probably turn the ballroom into a makeshift date spot if needed.” 

“Okay, let’s add the hotel, that coffee shop, and the park to the list. We have a few other places to see tomorrow right?” 

“Right,” Brook Lynn started as she took a deep breath and glanced over the list Dillon had sent her, “We still have the Savoy and the Haunted Star to check out but they’re more big, fancy city places compared to Charlie’s so I’m not sure if you’ll like them.”

Bryce couldn’t help but laugh as he took another sip from his glass, “Just because I’m from a small town and I sing country music, that doesn’t mean that I hate big cities. You know that right?”

“Of course I do. I’m just being honest so you don’t get your hopes up.”

“Is that why you’ve been so off today?” Bryce wondered as he studied her carefully and she took another sip of whiskey in order to distract herself. “Because Port Charles is nothing like Greenville, or even Nashville for that matter?”

“Kind of,” she started as she looked down and started to play with her now almost empty glass, “I guess I wasn’t as prepared to be back here as I initially thought I was. And if I’m being honest, the whole experience has been pretty overwhelming.” 

Bryce nodded as he reached out and laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. As he did, the wind from outside caused the door to the establishment to slam shut behind whoever had just entered, bringing the comforting moment to an abrupt end. As the new patron’s footsteps echoed throughout the room, Brook Lynn found herself shaking her head and laughing in disbelief. Apparently, some things in Port Charles would never change. 

“Hey Chase,” Kristina said, causing Brook Lynn to immediately turn around and find him sitting at a stool a couple of spots down from her, “What can I get for you? A beer like usual?” 

“Thanks, Kristina, but I’ll have to take a rain check. I’m still on the clock. I’m actually here to follow up on those break-ins you had last week. I have a few additional questions for you,” he replied, taking a small notepad out of the breast pocket of his coat as Brook Lynn did her best to avoid his gaze or make her presence known to him.

She swiftly turned back to face Bryce and met his concerned eyes, “Do you mind if we get out of here? We can finish brainstorming ideas back at the hotel if you want.” 

“Sure, that sounds like a great idea. Or we can continue this when Dillon gets to town and you can spend time with your family tonight instead.” 

“We can figure that out on our way back to the hotel,” Brook Lynn started as she finished what was left of her drink and grabbed her purse, “I’m going to go freshen up and then we can leave.” 

*              *             *            *           *

Bryce didn’t reply, instead, he simply nodded and watched as the relief washed over her before she made a mad dash for the bathroom. Bryce couldn’t help but wonder what the sudden change in disposition was all about. Everything seemed fine and then all of a sudden it wasn’t. What possibly could have happened to create such a drastic need for Brook Lynn to get out of here? Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. 

He did his best to shake the idea as he turned his attention to the man sitting down the bar from him and he wasn’t the least bit surprised when he immediately recognized who it was. It was the same person who made Brook Lynn tense up the night before and coming to that realization caused the same protective nature Bryce felt every time he met one of his sister’s boyfriends to take over. He watched as the man paged through a notebook and grabbed a pen out of his jacket pocket. As he did, his jacket raised just enough to allow Bryce to see the silver badge sitting on his hip. It shimmered as one of the overhead lights bounced off of it and almost blinded Bryce in the process.

“You’re a cop?” he asked in disgust as he took the final swig of his drink. 

“Excuse me?” Chase wondered as he turned toward Bryce, instantly recognizing him, “I’m sorry, did you say something?”

Bryce shook his head he set his glass down and reached for his wallet, “It was nothing. I was just mumbling about a new song idea.” 

“You’re a singer,” Chase added as he looked down at the bar for a brief moment. 

“Yeah, something like that,” Bryce added as he grabbed a few bills from his wallet and slapped them down on the bar. 

“We didn’t get a chance to properly introduce ourselves last night,” Chase started as he took a few steps toward Bryce and held out his hand, “Detective Harrison Chase.” 

Bryce did his best not to roll his eyes as added, “Bryce Steele, upcoming singer/songwriter.”

“It’s nice to meet you. What brings you to Port Charles? If…if you don’t mind me asking?” 

“I’m shooting a music video, the director is from here and wanted an excuse to catch up with his family.”

“Oh,” Chase replied as his head started running a mile minute trying to make sense of the new information, “So I guess it’ll just be a short visit then?” 

“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” Bryce scoffed as he put his wallet back in his pocket and stood up, trying to put as much distance between the two of them as he could. 

“Excuse me?” Chase wondered, doing his best to remain calm and assess the situation in front of him. 

Bryce just shook his head as he started to put on his coat and then grabbed Brook Lynn’s, “Nothing. It’s just been a long day and I have another long one ahead of me tomorrow. I need to get going but it was…nice getting to meet you again.” 

“Likewise,” Chase added before returning to his stool and waiting for Kristina to finish up with her current customer. 

Bryce shook his head as he paced around the bar waiting for Brook Lynn. He would be lying if he said he hadn’t given some thought about who Brook Lynn’s mysterious ex was. But he could be completely honest when he said that he wasn’t expecting the ex in question to be anything like Chase. He imagined someone who was much scarier–or even a criminal. All it took was a quick Google search of Port Charles to learn about its connections to the mob. It wouldn’t have surprised him one bit if Brook Lynn had gotten caught up in the wrong crowd, realized she was in over her head, and then ran away to Nashville to escape it all. But that wasn’t the case. Her ex was a well-respected member of the community, even without the badge, but that made Bryce even more scared and worried for her.

She was running from something, maybe she had even escaped it, but returning to Port Charles must have brought it all back. Brook Lynn was doing a good job of hiding it, but Bryce could tell from the minute they left for the airport that something was bothering her. And that feeling was amplified as they spent the day touring the city. It seemed like she was constantly keeping her head on a swivel, being on the lookout for something–or someone–to show up and ruin their fun. Even with Bob following them around, she still seemed to be a little jumpier than normal. All Bryce could do was hope he was wrong about it having to do anything with the police detective who just so happened to be her ex-boyfriend. Because if it was, he wasn’t sure what he would do. Bryce hated seeing any woman–especially the ones he cared for–frightened. If the source of Brook Lynn’s hesitancy toward coming back to her hometown was because of a cop–someone who was supposed to protect, serve, and keep the peace–it wouldn’t end well for anyone involved. Not for him, not for Brook Lynn, and especially not for the cop in question.

He felt his hand ball up into a fist as he thought back to the broken girl he had met all those months ago at Wildcard. He had watched her grow and evolve so much since then. If returning here lead Brook Lynn to revert back to that scared girl, he would never forgive himself. It was taking everything he had not to return to the bar and grab the detective by the collar of his shirt, push him into a wall, and get him to admit to everything. But he knew that was the last thing Brook Lynn wanted, and it was definitely the last thing she needed. So instead, he made his way to the side of the bar and absentmindedly scrolled through the jukebox. That was the great thing about bars, no matter where in the world one found themselves, there would always be a jukebox hidden somewhere for them to scroll through. 

He skimmed through the songs, expecting to see all of the bar classics plus a few newer titles here and there. Some had been on there for so long that the font was starting to wear off and he had to squint his eyes in order to read them. Like the one that read: All the Man–Eddie Maine– DO NOT REMOVE . He had heard of a lot of obscure pop and rock hits throughout the years but he had never heard of that one. He would love to know what criteria it met in order to be a permanent fixture in this bar. As the thoughts crossed his mind, he couldn’t help but break out into a giant smile as he read through the other song titles. One, in particular, caused him to frantically search through his pockets for quarters. There was no way he would leave before it was played. And he had no doubt that Brook Lynn would feel the same exact way. 

“Oh, there you are,” Brook Lynn said as she rounded the corner, almost running into him as she did, “ready to go?” 

“Almost,” Bryce started as he put the final quarter into the jukebox and pressed the play button, an even bigger smile, than the one he had before, spreading across his face, “You’ll never believe what I just found on the jukebox.”

“Let me guess,” Brook Lynn replied as she took her coat from him, “One of your songs?” 

Bryce bit his lip, the glint in his eyes getting brighter and brighter, as he shook his head, “No, one of yours.”

Brook Lynn listened intently as her song started to play over the loudspeakers, her face breaking out a huge smile as she did. Even after all this time, and the newfound success she had found in Nashville, hearing her song on the radio, in a bar, or even being covered at an open mic night always brought her a great amount of pride. It was a feeling she was sure would never get old. 

“Looks like this place has some taste after all,” Bryce joked as he put his hand on the small of her back and started leading her to the door. 

“You know you are really something else,” Brook Lynn joked as she playfully slapped him on the shoulder, “I thought you said that you liked it here!”

“I do,” Bryce added as he opened the door and nodded his head at Bob, allowing him to leave first, “But I’m not going to lie. I was a bit worried about this town’s music tastes, it’s nice to know that they know a good thing when they see it.”

“Are we still talking about the song?” Brook Lynn wondered giving him a mischievous smirk. 

Bryce gave her a playful smirk of his own as he motioned for her to follow Bob, “I don’t know, are we?” 

“You’re ridiculous, you know that right?” 

Bryce just nodded as he waited for her to exit. As she did, he couldn’t help but glance around the bar one last time, his smirk growing wider as he did. Detective Chase just so happened to be sitting in a spot that allowed him to have a front-row seat to the whole interaction. He had seen everything. The look on the detective’s face was evident from a mile away. There was a mix of shock, sadness, and a little regret, causing a strange amount of joy and pettiness to wash over Bryce. It was comforting to know that the detective seemed to be tortured by the fact that Brook Lynn was back in town and wanted nothing to do with him. In his book, it was only fair for all of the pain, intentional or not, Chase had inflicted on Brook Lynn.

“Hey, are you coming or what? It’s kind of cold out here!” Brook Lynn called out.

His smile grew bigger, if that was even possible, as he turned away from the police detective and replied, “Yeah, I’m on my way. I just wanted to listen to that awesome chorus again!”

*              *             *            *           *

Chase found his heart breaking into a million little pieces as he watched Brook Lynn and Bryce leave Charlie’s. The flirty interaction between the two of them played on repeat as he turned back to the bar, held his head in defeat, and the lyrics to the song Brook Lynn supposedly wrote filled the room:

I guess they call it fallin’, ‘cause you end up on your face

Sleepin’ by myself in a bed I didn’t make

Think it’s written in the stars, ‘til you’re all alone

Did you only get high to let me go?

I should’ve known

Chapter Text

The words bled together as he read over the same sentence for what felt like the millionth time. If anyone asked, the reason he came in early was to catch up on paperwork, but that was a bald-faced lie. The real motive behind collecting these overtime hours was that he barely got any sleep and was annoyed by all the tossing and turning. So instead of waiting for his alarm to finally go off, he got up early, went for a run, and then made his way to the station where he had spent countless hours staring at the same arrest record without making any progress on it. He couldn’t even remember what the report was about or what case it was for. It just happened to be the first of many that needed his attention. But between reviewing evidence for another case with Dante, getting called off to help with a disturbance at the docks, and the mindless other menial tasks that had been thrown at him throughout the day, he barely had any time to work on it.

But now he had all the time in the world. His shift was almost over and, just his luck, Port Charles had turned into a ghost town. No big cases to get called off on, no petty arguments or bar brawls to go break up, nothing that could be considered the least bit exciting. Only a stack of arrest reports that needed to be finalized and submitted which he couldn’t focus on to save his life. Every time he looked at the screen, all he saw was her. All of his attention was centered on Brook Lynn and the way her face lit up when she heard her song playing on the jukebox. It was what had kept him up half the night. And it was the moment his mind kept returning to whenever he had a minute of free time. He spent his entire shift finding different ways to distract himself from repeating the moment over and over but nothing worked. If he wasn’t analyzing it in grave detail then he was hearing her laugh instead. The same laugh she used to direct at him when she was playing a prank or he deliberately did something cringey in order to force it out of her. He really missed those days. They all seemed like distant memories now. 

If he was being honest, he missed a lot about Brook Lynn. And at the top of that list was constantly being around her bubbly personality. It had been a long time since he had seen it firsthand. Their last interactions before she skipped town had been ones filled with anger, grief, hurt, despair, or all of the above. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had heard her laugh or saw her charming smile. And her smile was probably second on the list of things he missed most about her. Every time she smiled he would get starstruck. It was truly mesmerizing. Her whole face would light up and joy would radiate through her cheekbones straight into her eyes. There was nothing else like it. He missed the days when he was living solely for that smile, doing everything imaginable to make it come out. But now, that role belonged to someone else.

He wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He didn’t know if he should be happy or hurt. All he knew was that his stomach was in knots. It had been that way ever since he saw Brook Lynn with another man’s arms draped around her. If he thought being in Port Charles without her was bad, it was even worse with her back in town flaunting her new relationship wherever she went. The way the two of them acted at Charlie’s made any doubts Chase had from their first meeting disappear. Brook Lynn had moved on, it was clear as day. This new man in her life made her happy, he made her smile, and he got to hear the magical laugh that Chase had missed so much. And that singular fact was destroying him from the inside out. It was one thing to wish the best for Brook Lynn but it was a different thing entirely to see it happening in real time.

“Chase? Chase? You in there buddy?” Dante asked as he slammed a folder onto their combined desk, pulling Chase out of his obsessive guilt trip. 

“I’m sorry I must have spaced out there for a minute,” he started as he sat up a little in his chair and pressed save on the still incomplete report. “What did you say again?” 

Dante didn’t say anything instead, he just gave him his best interrogation stare-down as he put his hands in his pockets, “You’ve been like this all day and you’re never this far off your game. So go ahead, spill. What has you so distracted?”

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” he replied as he reached for the folder, doing anything he could to distract himself and look busy as he avoided his partner’s knowing gaze. 

“Wait,” Dante started as soon as Chase started making his way toward the integration room, “This is about Brook Lynn isn’t it.” 

Chase took a deep breath, doing his best to appear calm and levelheaded as he turned back toward his partner, “Why would this be about Brook Lynn? She left Port Charles over a year ago, remember?”

“Wow. You’re really going to go with that excuse?” 

“What excuse?” 

“Come on Chase,” Dante started as he took a step toward him and took one of his hands out of his pockets in order to better emphasize his point, “Did you really think I didn’t know she was back? It was one of the first things Leo told me when I picked him and Scout up from school yesterday. Not to mention that Alexis and Sam saw the two of you at the Metro Court the night she came back to town. I’m sure seeing her again after all this time stirred up some old unresolved feelings. Especially since you two didn’t end things on the best of terms. And Sam said that she also had a new guy with her, so that’s what this is about isn’t it?” 

Chase shook his head lightly, looking down at the floor for a split second before replying, “I won’t lie. Seeing Brook Lynn again took me by surprise, but I’m fine. Whatever this is has nothing to do with her or the fact that she’s back in town. Today was a really long day and I’m ready for it to be over, that’s it.” 

“Okay, well if that’s the case then you clearly need a distraction. Why don’t you join me and Sam at the Haunted Star tonight? I’ll even buy the first round.”

Chase did his best to laugh, giving his partner a fake smile as he did, “While I appreciate the sentiment, the last thing I want to be tonight is a third wheel.” 

“Well, you’re in luck then because we were thinking about inviting Sasha and Cody to join us,” Dante heard his phone ping and let out a little laugh as he checked it, “In fact, that was Cody, he said they’re on their way now.” 

“So I’d be a fifth wheel instead,” Chase added while raising both of his eyebrows, “Oh you’re right, that’s much better.” 

Dante shook his head as he grabbed his coat before placing his hand on Chase’s shoulder, “Come on, you’ll have fun and you know it. It’s open mic night. Who knows maybe you’ll decide to go up there and show those wannabe pop stars a thing or two.” 

Chase glared daggers at him causing Dante to laugh in response. As Chase threw on his leather coat and gathered the rest of his things, Dante continued, “What? Too soon? Either way, I offered to buy you a beer so you don’t get to go home until that happens.”

“Fine,” Chase relented, “But that better be one expensive beer or I’m going to find a way to get you up on that stage before the night is over. I’m still mad about how you tricked me into performing all alone at my first Nurse’s Ball.”

“But it all turned out for the best,” Dante said, doing his best to hold back a laugh, “You brought the house down and had the crowd eating out of the palm of your hand. Now come on, we don’t want to leave everyone waiting.”

“We definitely don’t want that,” Chase sarcastically replied, “But don’t be surprised if I sneak out as soon as my beer is gone.” 

“Now what kind of attitude is that? At least give the night a chance before you write it off. I mean, what’s the worse that could happen?”

*              *             *            *           *

Turns out that going to the Haunted Star was just the distraction that Chase needed. The five of them spent the night laughing and drinking away as many other patrons took their chances up on the stage. And just as the performers ranged anywhere in talent, so did their music taste. Everything from Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty to Adele and Taylor Swift was performed.

“Wow,” Cody started, “Who knew that Port Charles had so much talent!”

“Don’t let Lucy hear you say that. She would have a major meltdown,” Sasha joked as Cody put his arm around her. 

Chase couldn’t help but laugh as he added, “Yeah she probably would. I’m surprised she’s not here tonight, this would be a great way to recruit acts for the next Nurses Ball.” 

“And don’t let Lucy hear that either! After missing out on last year’s event, she is already going into overdrive for this year. We’re two months out she’s already having at least one meltdown a day. And to make matters worse, she doesn’t want any help because she’s still mad about how Maxie and Bobbie took over organizing duties last year. You don’t even want to know the number of times we’ve already had to restock her stash of office gummies.”

“You know babe, your boss sounds like a real piece of work,” Cody joked. 

“You have no idea,” Sasha continued as she put her hands up in defense, “She means well and it is clear that she really cares about the event, but her wanting to have control over every little thing can get really annoying really fast. We could barely get anything finalized for our next ad campaign the other day because she learned that her favorite llama is already booked. All I can say is thank God for Brook…”

An awkward silence fell over the table as Sasha stopped herself mid-sentence and looked over at Chase with a strange mix of pity and sadness in her eyes, “It’s okay Sasha, I know Brook Lynn’s back in town. I’m taking it she stopped by the Deception offices?”

Sasha nodded as she gave him a small, caring smile, “Yeah she did. She wanted to say hi and apologize for abruptly quitting on us. And we were all so excited to see her that Lucy was actually speechless for the first time in I don’t know how long, it was the best two minutes of the entire work day.”

A small smile spread across Chase’s face as he started to play with his empty beer bottle. He could easily imagine the scene Sasha was describing. He had witnessed Lucy’s freakouts firsthand and had heard about a million stories about how chaotic she could be, especially at work, when she didn’t get her way. He also found comfort in the fact that Brook Lynn’s sudden reappearance in town was affecting others just as much as it was affecting him. 

“I think I could use another drink. Does anyone else want anything?” Dante asked as he stood up and motioned toward the bar and the other members of the group either nodded or held up their almost empty glasses, “Got it. Chase, why don’t you join me? I could really use your help.” 

Chase nodded as he excused himself from the table, “I know what you’re doing.”

Dante laughed as they approached the bar and he motioned for the bartender, “Believe it or not, I’m not doing anything. I don’t have enough hands to bring five drinks back to the table without spilling them, that’s it.” 

“Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night,” Chase joked as Dante rolled his eyes and gave their order to the bartender. 

“Okay, so the plan is to capture some B-roll. We might use it for the video. We might not. Either way, I want you to pretend like I’m not here and act like it’s any other night hanging out in a bar. Can you do that for me?” They both heard a booming and passionate voice say behind them. Chase couldn’t quite place it but when he glanced at Dante, he couldn’t help but notice the sheer annoyance that was displayed all over his partner’s face. Or the fact that he rolled his eyes and took a deep breath, something that was very out of character for him. 

“Aye aye captain,” a second, somewhat more familiar, voice added which was followed by a woman’s laugh that stopped Chase in his tracks. It was a laugh he would recognize anywhere. He lightly shook his head and tried his best not to let his frustration out on the bar. It was open mic night, of course, she would show up. He didn’t know if she was still managing but she was still writing and selling songs and music was still her passion. There was no way she would pass something like this up. 

“Hey listen,” Dante started as he tapped Chase on the arm, “If you want to leave, I get it. I can come up with some excuse about Jordan needing us back at the precinct so we can both make a quick getaway.” 

Chase squinted at his partner in confusion before sneaking a quick glance at Brook Lynn, Bryce, and the mysterious third person that made up their party. They were smiling and laughing while probably making a game plan for the rest of the evening. He wasn’t sure what the conversation was about but he would recognize Brook Lynn’s facial expressions anywhere. The way her eyes were lighting up as she scanned the room and a small smirk was spreading across her face. He could easily tell, even from across the room, that she was hatching up a scheme of some kind. And he could only imagine what it would consist of. He found a weird mix of relief and regret washing over him as he continued to watch the scene unfold. He felt his heart drop as he watched her place her hand on Bryce’s arm and let out another laugh at the funny face he made when the third person started to film them. He could lie to himself all he wanted, but seeing the two of them together was not getting any easier. Each time it happened, it just reminded him of how much he missed being the one that got to make her laugh. Or the days when he was her goto scheming partner. And as much as he hated to admit it, he would take a day of her plotting and him trying to talk her out of it over a routine shift at the PCPD any day. 

The bartender placed their completed order in front of them, causing Chase to come back to reality as Danted asked, “So what’s the plan? Are we staying or leaving?”

“Okay, I get why you think I might want to leave but why do you want to sneak out all of a sudden?” he wondered as he reached for the beer bottles and motioned for Dante to grab the remaining cocktails. 

“You see the guy who’s with Brook Lynn and her new boyfriend?” 

Boyfriend. It was strange hearing that word being used to refer to someone in Brook Lynn’s life. Especially someone that wasn’t him. He did his best to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat as he nodded and waited for Dante to continue. 

“That’s Dillon Quartermaine. He and Lulu had a thing back in the day and we didn’t get along the last time he was in town.”

“Wait, that’s Brook Lynn’s uncle? He has a history with Lulu?”

Dante nodded as he took one last look over toward Brook Lynn, Bryce, and Dillon before he added, “Yeah. Last I heard he was in California working in show business and didn’t have any interest in ever returning to Port Charles.” 

“Well, I guess that changed. Bryce is apparently shooting a music video here because that’s what the director wanted. How much do you want to bet Dillon’s the director.” 

Dante looked over at Dillon once more before turning his attention back to Chase, “He probably is. But how do you know so much about this?” 

“I kind of ran into Bryce last night when I went to Charlie’s to get another statement from Kristina.” 

“So I was right. Brook Lynn was the reason you were off today. If you want to leave, we’ll completely understand.” 

Chase bit his lip as he returned to the table and was immediately met by Sasha and Sam’s concerned looks. “Are you okay?” Sasha wondered. 

He did his best to fake a smile as he placed one of the beer bottles in front of Cody and replied, “Of course I am. Now, what did we miss?” 

Sasha, Cody, and Sam all exchanged looks as Chase and Dante sat down. They could tell that Chase was lying through his teeth but didn’t want any of them to realize it. So they played along and said that Cody was telling them funny stories from his and Dante’s time at summer camp. Something that Cody was quite happy to do in order to keep their story straight. He told them every story he could think of as they waited for the next act to start.

Chase did his best to pay attention and interact with the rest of the party, especially whenever he found an opening to throw a couple of insults Dante’s way. But every so often, Chase found himself looking around to see if Brook Lynn and Bryce were still there. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting. He knew that they were there to film content for Bryce’s video, but part of him hoped that they would decide to leave early like they did the night before. But that didn’t appear to be the case. The two of them had moved from the main entrance to the back corner of the bar and were looking quite cozy as Brook Lynn whispered something in Bryce’s ear. Probably explaining how typical open mic nights in Port Charles worked or was sharing the plan she had concocted earlier. When he glanced their way a different time, he saw them flirting over whatever drink Bryce had just bought for her. He wasn’t sure what the drink was but he would recognize her flirting tells anywhere. From her mischievous smirk to the way her eyes would gleam with that perfect mix of innocence and smugness that only she could pull off, it was always easy for him to pick up on her subtle cues. He secretly used to love all the times they would go back and forth until that same look would appear on her face. Telling him that she was enjoying the little exchange just as much as he was. 

He was really trying to be happy for her. No matter how things ended between the two of them, she deserved to be happy but he hated witnessing it firsthand. It wasn’t a jealousy thing. Or even a regret-filled heartbreak thing. He was over Brook Lynn. They were better off without the other. They didn’t work. It was as simple as that. Or at least that was the lie he told himself ever since he called things off so he wouldn’t be tempted to track her down and take back every harmful thing he ever said to her. But seeing her again, being in the same room with her and not being able to approach her or joke around with her, stirred up something he thought was long gone. And it was a feeling he couldn’t shake. A feeling that only seemed to get stronger and more gut-wrenching every time he glanced in their direction. 

Yet, he had no control over his actions. It was a reflex at this point, he couldn’t help himself. And it didn’t help that when Maxie arrived she let out a high-pitched squeal of excitement as soon as she saw Brook Lynn. It was so loud that the entire bar stopped what they were doing so they could all watch her give Brook Lynn one of the biggest bear hugs Chase had ever seen. He swore he could hear Brook Lynn breathing heavily across the room and that just made him want to observe the two of them even more. He knew better. It wasn’t his place but he was concerned that Brook Lynn might need medical attention. Or at least that would be the excuse he gave if he was called him out on it. The two of them were talking up a storm as Maxie pulled out her phone and kept swiping back and forth on it. He figured that she was showing Brook Lynn pictures of Bailey so Brook Lynn could see just how much the little girl had transformed in the last year. She no longer looked like a baby, she looked like a little kid instead. She was her own little person who could now walk and talk. She was also turning into quite the fashionista who could give both Maxie and Brook Lynn a run for their money. 

He couldn’t help but smile when he thought about the fact that Brook Lynn would probably get to spend some quality time with Bailey while she was back. He loved every opportunity he got to share with her and he could do that anytime he pleased. He could only imagine what Brook Lynn had gone through this past year without getting any much-needed Bailey time. And just like that, he was reminded yet again about all of the hurt and turmoil Brook Lynn leaving Port Charles had caused. Not only to her loved ones but also to her friends, coworkers, hell even him. And that turmoil was only strengthened as he watched Maxie get introduced to Bryce. A huge smile spread across her face as they continued to talk and she raised her eyebrows and smirked knowingly at Brook Lynn. Maxie had basically given Brook Lynn her approval and it made Chase’s heart sink. He knew heartbreak. He knew regret. But didn’t know anything like this. He couldn’t think of any way to describe the various feelings coursing through him as he watched someone who used to play a major role in his life move on without him. 

It had been terrible watching Willow grow closer to Michael but that was only window dressing compared to this. A small part of him always knew that his relationship with Willow was over and would never return to how it once was before he and Sasha faked that affair, but he still pushed for a reconciliation anyway. Which resulted in him getting more hurt and betrayed than he ever imagined was possible. But it also taught him that he couldn’t force something that was no longer there. So even though he hated the fact that Brook Lynn was with someone else, he knew he had to find a way to accept it. He wouldn’t let the overwhelming feelings of deja vu consume him. As similar as this was to what happened with Micahel and Willow, one thing was different: he knew better this time. There would be no begging her for a second chance. No telling her how much he missed her and couldn’t stop thinking about her even if his life depended on it. There would be no trying to reestablish that spark while pushing away any doubts he had about whether she still felt the same way about him. No, he wouldn’t put himself through that again. He wouldn’t make those same mistakes. It would never work. Not only because Brook Lynn would eventually again, but he knew that his heart couldn’t take it. He wouldn’t survive another heartbreak at the hands of Brook Lynn Quartermaine.

She had moved on and he hadn’t, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was just the way it was. He would just have to avoid her while she was still in town and then he could go back to lying to himself about how he really felt. He could pretend she never existed and that their relationship was never supposed to be anything else but temporary. Just a learning curve for both of them, something that would only make them better in the long run. And then hope and pray that he would finally learn how to live his life without her. It would be painful and burdensome but he could do it. Brook Lynn would slowly but surely just turn into a distant memory that would hopefully lead to him smiling every time he thought of her instead of his gut twisting into a million knots filled with dread. 

“So what’s the plan?” he faintly heard Dante ask as he turned his attention back to the members of his party and whatever conversation they were having. 

“Danny texted that he and Rocco are back home from the basketball game and Scout is with her father tonight,” Sam started as she leaned back in her chair, “so I’m good with staying a little longer. The night is almost over anyway. I think Mac said that there are only a few performers left.” 

“And I’m always down to stay anywhere free drinks are involved,” Cody joked while pushing his empty bottle in Dante’s direction. 

Sasha laughed as well before adding, “Yeah, we should stay. Tonight has been really fun and I don’t think I’m ready for it to end. But unlike Cody, I’m going to cut myself off. I’ve definitely reached my limit.” 

“Sounds like we’re staying then,” Dante added as he looked around the bar one last time, “Does that work for you, Chase?”

Just as Chase was about to answer, he couldn’t help but start eavesdropping on the conversation behind him. Especially when he heard Brook Lynn’s voice raise slightly. 

“You’re not about to do what I think you’re going to do, are you?”

“It’s open mic night, did you really expect me to not sign up? Why do you think I brought my guitar with me?” 

“You brought your guitar with you? Where have you been hiding it all this time?” 

“Bob has it.”

“Of course he does,” Chase did his best not to look in their direction but he could hear the annoyance in her voice as she probably rolled her eyes at him, “You do remember why we’re here right?” 

“Yeah, Dillon wants to shoot some B-roll. And what’s better than extra performance shots?” 

“But, we’re supposed to be…” She stopped mid-sentence as Chase watched Bryce pass him and make his way up to the stage, “keeping a low profile.” 

Low profile? A lot of things always crossed Chase’s mind when he thought about Brook Lynn Quartermaine but keeping a low profile was never one of them. As he snuck another look at her over his shoulder, he couldn’t help but wonder what that specific interaction was all about. As well as who this Bob character was. There was only one person in Port Charles that he knew of with that name but he wasn’t a guitar tech. He was also one of the last people he would ever expect to be spending time around Brook Lynn. The only way that would happen was if she was in some kind of trouble. The kind that would require Sonny’s help to get out of. 

He did his best to turn his cop brain off and get the thoughts out of his head. If he continued down that path, his brain would run a mile a minute as it came up with numerous possibilities that would cause him to lose even more sleep than he had the previous two nights. And that was the last thing he needed. Instead, he turned his attention to the stage where Bryce had finished tuning his guitar and was about to start speaking. 

“Hey everyone! How are we all doing tonight?” he asked and was immediately answered with a mix of applause and screams of encouragement. Chase couldn’t help but notice that one of those loudest screams seemed to come from Brook Lynn and that only caused the dread and regret rumbling in his stomach to grow. Bryce let out a little laugh as he started strumming on his guitar, “Good to hear. Before I begin, I just want to introduce myself. My name is Bryce Steele and I couldn’t pass on the chance to get up here and sing for y’all. If you follow country music then you may have heard of me or this song that I’m about to perform. It was one of my first singles and it got a lot of airplay last year. It’s called ‘The One That Got Away.’ I hope you dig it.” 

A huge smile spread across Bryce’s face as he started playing the song on his guitar. Chase did his best to be discreet as followed the singer’s stare to try to determine who or what was receiving the smile in question. He was not surprised one bit when he realized that it was directed at Brook Lynn. Or at least it was until Bryce moved his attention onto someone else and then started to scan the room in order to make eye contact with every girl there. Chase didn’t know much about Bryce but he could tell that he was a seasoned performer who loved being on stage. The smile never left his face as he continued to play his guitar and do some light shoulder bumps in time with the music. He was fully in his element and it showed, especially when he would pick a random person in the crowd to sing directly to at various points throughout the song. At one point, the person in question was Sasha and Chase watched as she basically melted in her chair when he pointed at her and sang the main hook: She’s gonna be one hell of a one that got away. 

Bryce had the crowd in the palm of his hand and he absolutely knew it. Chase could tell that he was loving every single minute of it. And so was Dillon apparently as Chase watched him do laps around all of the tables in order to capture the performance from every possible angle. Chase couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of it. There truly was nothing like watching a Quartermaine who was completely in their element. He bit his lip as he tried to not think back to all the times he saw that same energy and charisma in another Quartermaine. One who was right behind him and would probably have that beautiful mega-watt smile that he missed so much spread across her face. He cursed himself as he looked in her direction for what felt like the billionth time that night and learned that his hunch was correct. Brook Lynn was still sitting on her bar stool, smiling and mouthing along with some of the lyrics as Maxie gave her a hug from the side and the two of them swayed in time with the music. 

As much as Chase used to love watching her get completely lost in a performance, he couldn’t stand the sight of it now. And he hated it. He knew exactly why too. It was because he wasn’t the one who was up on that stage, creating that reaction in her. As much as he hated pretending to be a pop star, as much as he dreaded performing anywhere that wasn’t at the Nurse’s Ball; he would still continue to do it time and time again if it meant it would make Brook Lynn happy or cause her to smile. But now that was someone else’s job. Some other guy was making all her dreams come true and that continued to eat away at him. 

He turned back to the stage just as Bryce started to sing the bridge and Chase found himself relating to every single lyric. Almost as if the song had been written just for him:

Hey hey, hey hey

She's gonna sting me but damn it I want it

Hey hey, hey hey

Honey's so sweet in that moment

She's decoratin' my car

Soon she'll be breakin' my heart

She's too Wild Horses to be all mine

I'll be your Beast of Burden on Borrowed Time

She's gonna rip off any kind of label

She's into leavin' those strings untied

Keepin' it tax free, under the table

She might only be mine tonight

But that's alright, that's okay

She's gonna be one hell of a one that got away

That's alright, might hurt, but hey

She's gonna be one hell of a one that got away

Yeah, yeah, yeah

As Bryce finished playing the final chords and was met with thunderous applause, Chase couldn’t help but take a deep breath in order to try to hide how much he was beating himself up. It didn’t matter if Bryce had written that song about Brook Lynn or not, even though Chase had a hunch that he did. The timing worked out and the way the two of them acted together proved that they had known each other for a while. That kind of chemistry doesn’t happen in an instant. It always takes time to develop and mature. He knew that better than anyone. Just like how he knew that Brook Lynn truly was a hell of a one that got away because as much as he hated to admit it, she was his. And she probably always would be. 

“Wow, thank you for that,” Bryce started, “So I have a question for y’all. I was just informed that there’s an opening left and I can fill it if I want. So do y’all want to call it early or should I sing another song?” 

The crowd replied with cheers of encouragement and even more applause as Bryce fidgeted with his guitar and played a few random chords. Chase couldn’t help but sneak another look at Brook Lynn while Bryce did this. This clearly hadn’t been planned out beforehand and he could only imagine what was running through her head. She had been so on top of it when she was his manager, she wouldn’t let any little moment or detail slip through the cracks. If he had stopped a set and sat there puzzled, she probably would have run onto the stage and interacted with the crowd until he snapped out of it. Chase was kind of surprised that she wasn’t doing that now with Bryce. Instead, she sat there biting her lip, never taking her eyes off of him. 

It was almost like the two of them were having a silent conversation because as Chase watched a fire ignite in her eyes, a telltale sign that she was plotting something, he heard Bryce say, “Okay then. So this next one I’m going to sing is new. So new in fact that I haven’t even had a chance to get into the studio to make demo, but I wrote it with one of Port Charles’ own so this seems like the perfect place to test it out. And please be completely honest about your thoughts on it. If it’s bad it’s completely my fault, but if it’s as good as I think it is, it was all Brook Lynn’s doing.” 

Everyone in the room let out a little laugh while others raised their drinks in Brook Lynn’s direction as Bryce started playing the opening riff. Chase snuck one final look in her direction and saw that she was still smiling but this time her eyes were closed as she swayed and mouthed along with the lyrics. She was completely in her element. Chase couldn’t remember the last time he got to see her like that. Was it the Gingerbread Jam or was it even earlier than that? He wasn’t sure but as torturous as the night had been for him, he was glad that didn’t seem to be the case for her. Music was her passion and no matter what her life outside of Port Charles consisted of, he could at least take comfort in the fact it consisted of doing something she truly loved.

He couldn’t help but smile. No matter how much time had passed, he would always love watching her get lost in the music. But that smile quickly faded as Brook Lynn’s eyes opened and, almost immediately, locked onto his. It was the first time the two of them had done so since she returned. At the Metro Court, she did everything in her power to avoid his gaze and he didn’t even realize she was at Charlie’s until she was leaving. And yet something felt eerily familiar about it. It was like all the other times before. Like at the beach house or at the Metro Court pool where they would just look at each other and the whole world would disappear around them. Like they were the only two in all of existence. 

He felt his breath getting caught in the back of his throat as he continued to gaze into her eyes and tried to see if he could get a read on her. She seemed to be just as frazzled and taken off guard as he was. Yet she didn’t look away and neither did he. He knew he should, but he didn’t want to. Something about staring into her hypnotic deep brown eyes brought him peace and clarity. No matter what was happening around him, all of his problems dissipated whenever his eyes met hers. And tonight was no different. Suddenly, her being back in town didn’t matter. All of the past events that brought them to this exact moment didn’t matter. They were both in the same room at the same time again. Even if they weren’t together, even if she had clearly moved on, this moment was everything to him. It was nice to know that even after all this time, it felt like they still had a connection and maybe they always would. Maybe this moment would bring him the closure he had so desperately been looking for over the past year.  

A small smile spread across his face as they continued to stare at each other. He couldn’t pull away even if he wanted to, and he hoped Brook Lynn felt the same. But, just like all the other times before, she took a deep breath before she broke contact and turned back to Maxie in order to continue whatever conversation they were having earlier. He couldn’t help but slightly shake his head. Some things would truly never change. 

He let out a little laugh, so small that only he could hear it, as he turned his attention back to Bryce and the song he was singing. He closed his eyes and did his best to focus on lyrics, they were Brook Lynn’s and he had no doubt that he would love them. She was his favorite songwriter after all. But unlike the other times he heard one of Brook Lynn’s songs, he didn’t feel amazed or prideful. He felt the exact opposite. The message was upbeat and all about living in the moment but it made even more dread and regret fill his system. And that made him hate himself even more. He tried to push those thoughts aside and do his best to enjoy the rest of the performance. If this was the last chance he had to listen to one of Brook Lynn’s songs then he had to make sure he was taking in every single moment. 

Alright

You know that I'ma do today like there's no tomorr'a

Be cool with everybody, naw we ain't 'bout that drama

Work a little less just to play a little more

I don't know about y'all but one thing I know for sure is

I'm just out here livin', out here livin'

Livin' my best life, aye

And I'm just out here chillin', feelin' like a million

Kickin' it like it's my birthday, hey

I'ma do exactly what I want

I'ma sip sip on somethin' strong singin'

I'm just out here livin', out here livin'

Livin' my best life, yeah yeah

As the rest of the bar clapped, cheered, and some even started to sing along, Chase found all of his closure and clarity from earlier vanish. He sank into his chair and played mindlessly with his empty beer bottle, just waiting for it all to be over. Brook Lynn and Bryce might be living their best life but he certainly wasn’t. And he wouldn’t be as long as Brook Lynn remained in town. Her presence would just serve as a constant reminder of how badly he had screwed everything up and how he had no chance of ever making it up to her. Something he would regret for the rest of his life.

Chapter Text

Even though Brook Lynn found herself enjoying her time back in Port Charles, she was also extremely grateful that Dillon was constantly keeping her busy. It seemed like her uncle had a million different ideas that he wanted to try and Brook Lynn was loving every minute of it. Not only was it fun getting a chance to experience Dillon’s creative vision, but it also served as a great distraction. Whether it was doing more location scouting, helping Dillon with the casting process, catching up with friends whenever she could, or trying to stay up to date with her songwriting throughout all of the chaos, she found herself completely exhausted at the end of each day. And when she went to bed her eyes closed the moment her head hit the pillow. Which led to some of the most refreshing and uneventful nights’ rest she had encountered in she didn’t know how long. 

Which she was pleasantly surprised by. Especially since her plan to keep a low profile had been thrown out the window the minute Bryce took the stage at the Haunted Star. Now, almost everyone in town knew she was back but, surprisingly, that didn’t really bother her. She had only wanted to keep a low profile in case Linc was still hanging around. But he wasn’t one to lurk in the shadows. He always had to make his presence known. If he was in Port Charles, he would have already tried to confront her. And, if for some reason,  he decided to try a different tactic, she knew that Bob would have told her about any unusual activity he noticed while they had been running all over town. 

As time went on, the only thing she found herself worrying over was when, or if, she would run into Chase again. She wasn’t sure why the thought of seeing him kept stressing her out. They had already been in the same room together on multiple different occasions and had lived to tell the tale. And it seemed like they could easily coexist without it turning into a yelling match. That point had become abundantly clear when they locked eyes at the Haunted Star. Neither of them looked away and it felt like they had gone back in time. Back to a simpler point in their lives. Back when they were friends and seemed to be able to communicate everything they were feeling just by staring at each other. It felt like all of the damage and space between them had never occurred and it was just the two of them against the world again. Just like when they took care of Bailey or they were in the early days of their relationship. Back when they felt indestructible and nothing could tear them apart. But she knew that those days were long gone and were nothing but distant memories now. Memories she would always be grateful for but she also knew better than to hope for anything more. Too much had happened and too much time had passed for it to even be a distinct possibility. Even though the idea of them becoming friends again was something she desperately wanted the longer she stayed in town.  

It was that realization, that yearning feeling in the pit of her stomach, that caused her to look away and break the moment between them. And from the little smile Chase gave her, she knew that the experience hadn’t been one-sided. But that night wasn’t about them or their past. It was about the citizens of Port Charles who wanted to express their creative sides and experience some live music. And no matter how he felt about her, whether he forgave her or still hated her for almost ruining his life, he wouldn’t make a scene or ruin the night for everyone else. Not to mention that he finally had his badge back and having a loud disagreement with her in public could cause his job to be in jeopardy yet again. And even though she had been gone for over a year, she still knew him well enough to realize that was the last thing he wanted. He would protect his badge at all costs this time around, he wouldn’t do anything that could cause him to almost lose it again.

So she took the choice away from him and turned back to Maxie, who was asking her a million questions about Bryce, songwriting, and various other topics she wasn’t paying any particular attention to. But it was the only thing she could think of doing. Otherwise, knowing her luck she would still be sitting on that stool in the Haunted Star staring deep into Chase’s eyes. But Chase probably wouldn’t be sitting at that table staring back into hers. She had done her best to keep her distance throughout the rest of the night but she still found herself glancing in his direction every now and then. Especially once Bryce had finished performing their song and was socializing with anyone and everyone in the room. Something that made Dillon ecstatic as he followed Bryce around the bar, filming his every move. 

It was on one of those occasions that Brook Lynn watched as Chase grabbed his coat, said something quick to Dante, and then high-tailed it out of there. And she couldn’t help but wonder what it could’ve been about. It wasn’t like Chase to cut and run, at least it never used to be. The only logical explanation she could think of was that it was something work-related, he had a family emergency, or he wanted to get as far away from her as possible. And since Dante didn’t seem fazed by any of it, that could only mean one thing. She was the culprit. And while the realization stung, she couldn’t blame him for feeling that way. After everything she had put him through, it was completely rational that he wanted his space. Hell, he had even told her that before she left Port Charles. 

But even Brook Lynn found it surprising how easy it was for her to come to that realization and continue on with the rest of the night without it getting to her. In the past, her whole world would have crashed and she would have done everything in her power to leave, to chase after him and plead her case, or just go home and cry in the privacy of her locked room. Instead, she found herself being able to easily put a smile on her face, accept all the compliments people gave her on the song, and laugh and joke around with Maxie until Dillon finally called it a night. And she didn’t break down, cry, or beat herself up for being a horrible person when she returned to her room at the Quartermaine’s. Instead, she sat in her velvet blue chair with her open songbook and used the night as inspiration for a new song. She worked on it into the early morning hours and then off and on for the next two days whenever she got the chance. 

Even now she found herself overanalyzing the lyrics, looking for any phrase, word, or comma that may seem out of place while she sat at the bar in the Metro Court waiting for Bryce and Amy to finish filming. How Dillon ended up casting Amy, of all people, as Bryce’s love interest, she still didn’t understand but even she couldn’t deny the chemistry the two of them shared on camera. It was the kind of chemistry that isn’t evident at first but once it becomes noticeable, it’s hard to deny. And it was exactly the kind that was needed for the story both Bryce and Dillon wanted to tell. So even if Amy could get on her last nerve at times, Brook Lynn couldn’t deny that she was perfect for the role. In fact, she was glad things turned out that way because the longer the casting process went on, the more Bryce tried to convince her that she should play the part. Between being one of his closest friends and the niece of the director, the role was basically hers and all she would have to do was say yes. 

Flattered as she was by the idea, she knew better of it. Bryce wanted this music video to be huge. To be played nonstop on CMT, Youtube, in bars, etc. If the video went big then so would the song. If the song went big then so would his career. And Brook Lynn wanted nothing more than for Bryce to get what he wanted. He had been there for her when it felt like no one else was and if anyone deserved to strike it big in the music business, it was Bryce. So the last thing he needed was her in his video. It was too risky and she didn’t want him to get more involved with her situation than he already was. He knew that she needed a fresh start when she came to Nashville and that she liked to write songs but that was about it. He was slowly learning more about her the longer they stayed in Port Charles but luckily nothing about Linc or her past with him had come up. And she was going to do everything in her power to keep it that way. If she had learned anything over the past year, it was that the more she allowed Linc to control her life, or even just her thoughts, the more hurt she and the others in her life became. She had made the mistake of thinking she could get the better of him once and she refused to do it again. The safest thing for her and her loved ones was to stay off of Linc’s radar as much as humanly possible. Starring in a country music video would only make that harder for her to do. 

“Great job everyone,” She heard Dillon say, causing her to look up from her songbook and put any and all intrusive thoughts at bay, “That was a good take but I want to get one more just to play it safe then we’ll move onto the flashback sequence. Bryce, Amy, this time really play it up. Big smiles, big laughs, you’re having the time of your lives. Think you can do it?” 

Brook Lynn couldn’t help but let out a little laugh as she overheard her uncle’s notes. Sometimes it was hard to figure out how she could be related to many members of the Quartermaine clan, especially with all the stark differences in their personalities, but spending this time working with Dillon did just the opposite for her. For the first time in a while, she saw similarities between herself and a family member that had nothing to do with scheming, the family business, or protecting the family’s interests. Instead, she saw a driven and creative individual who was one hundred percent in his element. She saw someone who let his passion for his craft and his ambition drive him in order to make the best piece of art possible. He was enthusiastic about this project and he let that joy and exhilaration be known every chance he got. It was a natural high that only a few people knew about or ever got to experience. It was also something that she thought only her mother and Layla would ever truly understand but she was glad to learn that wasn’t the case. It was nice to see that she had more in common with Dillon than just their last name. It also brought her immense hope that she would continue to find success outside of Port Charles and outside of her parents’ looming shadows in the music industry. 

The all-too-familiar instrumental track of “Falling into Place” started playing on her phone, jarring her from her thoughts and bringing her back to reality. She glanced down and felt a small rush of excitement when she instantly recognized the number. It was a call she had been anticipating for a while now. She grabbed her things and did her best to sneak away into the side room behind the bar, causing the least amount of distractions possible, before she finally answered it. “Hello.”

“Hello, is this Ms. Asher?” the voice on the other line asked, “My name is Glen, I’m Priscilla Block’s manager. My call is regarding a song you want to sell to my client.” 

“Yes, it is. Thank you so much for calling me back Glen. I’ve actually had a few writing sessions with Priscilla recently so when I got the idea for the song in question, I immediately thought of her. It shares many themes with the other songs we’ve written together and I think it would be a perfect fit for her current project.” 

She heard Glen laugh on the other end before he replied, “It’s like you took the words right out of my mouth. My client felt the same exact way when she heard it. She won’t stop bugging me until we make this sale official.”

“That’s amazing,” she replied, doing her best not to squeal in delight or break out into a little happy dance, which was now her customary celebration. It was a feeling that she couldn’t get used to. Nothing beat hearing that another artist liked and appreciated her songs and wanted to be the one to record them. Even if they never turned into singles or made it onto the setlist at their concerts, it was still one of the best feelings in the world. “Thank you and please tell Priscilla how grateful I am.” 

“Of course. She does have some questions on the song and thoughts on the arrangement though.” 

Even though she knew he couldn’t see it, Brook Lynn nodded as she sat down, opened her songbook, grabbed her pen, and replied, “This song is still very much in the planning stages so that makes complete sense. What are her concerns?” 

Brook Lynn listened intently as Glen started to list off everything from possible lyrical and structural changes to the type of instrumental backing that would best fit the overall mood of the song. “Yes, of course, those all sound plausible. And I agree with the simple guitar and drums overlay, I actually think that will make the song flow together way better than my initial idea of having it be a slow ballad. Yes, I can look over everything one more time before sending you the final copy. I’ll make sure to include those changes to the chord progressions and her notes about the bridge. And as far as compensation goes, I’m okay with adding this to the original deal we made during our other sessions. I’m assuming that your client will find that to be fair. Okay perfect. Also, please tell Priscilla I’m sorry for canceling this week’s writing session. Something came up last minute but I promise that I’ll make it up to her soon. Great thank you, you have a good rest of your day as well.” 

A huge smile spread across her face as she placed her phone down and got to work, making the needed revisions to her song. This had to be some kind of record. She knew that things moved quickly in Nashville–especially since many artists only had a short amount of time to work on and record new projects–but it was insane how quickly she had made this sale happen. Usually, she would write songs on her own, sit on them for a while, and then try to shop them around. Or just wait until she had her next songwriting session with a possible client to share them. The only other times she would deliberately go out of her way to send her work to any record labels was when Bryce and Caitlyn wouldn’t stop badgering her about it. And then it would still take a few weeks, or even months, for the songs to make the rounds before she heard anything.

She would have to remember in the future to not be afraid to contact the artist directly, that certainly seemed like the way to go. Especially since she decided that wanted to be an independent songwriter instead of getting a publishing contract with Music Row. It made the process a hundred times harder but after everything she had gone through to protect her old work, she wanted to keep as much control over her music as possible. That and if she went the rest of her life without seeing another contract, it would still be too soon. She may be a Quartermaine but being able to accurately read a contract and find all of its loopholes would never be her forte. 

As she finished tweaking her song, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She immediately stopped what she was doing and glanced in that direction while searching frantically for Bob. She couldn’t help but put her hand over her heart and let out a sigh of relief when she saw Chase hovering in the doorway. 

He must have realized that she was a little on edge as he crinkled his brow and asked, “Are you alright?” 

She did her best to put on a brave face as she closed her songbook and replied, “Yeah, I guess I was so wrapped up in my work that I didn’t see you there.”

“Sorry about that.” 

“There’s no need to apologize. I just didn’t expect to see anyone other than those of us working on Bryce’s video. I thought Dillon reserved the restaurant for the day.” 

Chase nodded as he took a small step toward her and Brook Lynn couldn’t help but notice his hesitancy as he did, “That’s true but they’re still accepting take-out orders and every month Mac or Jordan buys lunch for everyone in the department. It was Jordan’s turn this month, she picked here, and I got stuck with pickup duty. The bartender told me to wait over here until everything was finalized.”

“Gotcha. I won’t keep you, I just needed to take a call. Now that I’m done, I can finish this at the bar. Which is probably a good idea since Dillon might need another Quartermaine to keep him on a tight leash or we’ll end up monopolizing the restaurant all day” she joked as she stood up and gathered all her stuff. Chase just nodded as she started to make her way past him before turning around and returning to her spot from earlier. “Or maybe not. They are now filming at the bar so it looks like I’ll be staying here for a little while longer but I promise I’ll stay out of your hair.” 

“Brook Lynn,” Chase started, becoming tongue-tied in the process.

“Yes?” she wondered as they stood there with an awkward air hanging between them but it was clear as day that their connection was still as strong as ever. Proving that the moment they shared at the Haunted Star was anything but a fluke. 

“I just wanted to say that I’m really happy for you.” 

“You are?” 

“Yeah,” he replied while giving her a little smile, “I couldn’t help but overhear that last part of your phone call. Did you just sell a song?” 

A huge smile spread across her face as she replayed the conversation over in her mind, “Yeah, I did. You know it’s so strange. This isn’t the first time it’s happened but each time that it does, I can’t help but feel like a giddy little schoolgirl. I don’t know how else to describe it but it’s just so magical and ecstatic, there’s truly nothing else like it.” 

Chase’s smile widened as he watched her face light up, “See I told you.”

“Told me what?” 

“That you’re incredibly talented and that having a career in songwriting is anything but a pipe dream.” 

She couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head as the flashbacks started to come rushing back. He always believed in her, even when she didn’t believe in herself. Perhaps that hadn’t changed even after all the hurt and pain she put him through. “Hey, Chase?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Do you think it’s possible for us to start over?” 

Chase did his best to appear like her question hadn’t taken him off guard as he perked one eyebrow and asked, “What do you mean by that?” 

“You know,” she started as she shrugged and did her best to look anywhere but at him, “be friends again or at least be civil towards each other while I’m still in town. But I understand if that’s not possible, you have every right to hate me.” 

“No, never, that’s….that’s not possible,” Chase replied before taking a deep breath and crossing his arms over his chest. Brook Lynn may have been picking up on the awkward tension between them but it wasn’t because he hated her. It was the complete opposite. She truly had no idea how much this simple conversation was tearing him apart or how much he didn’t want it to end. “Yeah, we can do that. I’d really like to be friends again.” 

He could barely get the words out, he hated saying them. Being friends with Brook Lynn was the absolute last thing he wanted, but he also knew that he needed to have her in his life again, somehow someway. And he would take any crumbs he could get to make that happen. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw the relief wash over her face, she clearly needed this just as much as he did. 

“Good. I’ve missed our friendship.” 

“I have to. I’ve actually missed a lot of things when it comes to you.” 

“You have?” she asked, hoping it didn’t sound as desperate as she was currently feeling. 

Chase nodded as he took a seat in one of the empty chairs and Brook Lynn did the same. “Yeah. Talking with you, spending time with you, watching what kind of trouble you can get yourself into before I get a chance to talk you out of it.” 

“Yeah, those were some good times, weren’t they?” she asked absentmindedly as she did her best to look around and find wherever Bob was hiding. 

“You okay?” Chase wondered as he gave her one of his best detective stares, which strangely brought her comfort. At least she finally got to see for herself that every sacrifice she made over the last year had been worth it, “It seems like you went somewhere else for a minute.” 

“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just in my head, second-guessing whether I should make any additional changes to that song before I send it to the artist.”

“Does that happen a lot? Having to make changes to your songs in order to sell them?” 

“Kind of,” she started as she continued to glance for Bob and let out a deep breath when she finally saw him appear outside the doorway, “I do my best to collaborate with the artists from the jump so we’re both working on a song that we will end up being proud of. And I only had the lyrics for this song finalized so it was actually a relief that the artist wanted to work on tweaking the melody.” 

“But you’re okay with that?” Chase wondered, “Artists having the final say on what can and can’t be included in your songs?”

Brook Lynn shook her head as she explained, “I wouldn’t exactly describe it that way. I get to work closely with the artist and explain my vision for the song. If we can’t come to a consensus or meet somewhere in the middle with what changes I’m comfortable with then I have every right to back out of the deal. In fact, I don’t even agree to sell it to them until we have everything ironed out. So it ends up becoming a joint effort in the long run. But enough about me, how are you doing? I heard that you got your badge back!”

“Yeah, thanks to you.” 

She didn’t know why she did it, maybe it was a reflex, or maybe it was for purely selfish reasons, all she knew was that it felt right as she reached out and took his hand in hers, “It was the least I could do. So tell me, how do you like being back?” 

“Only if you tell me more about what it’s like being a songwriter. And did I hear Olivia right the other night, you live in Nashville now?” He waited for her to nod in response before he continued, “You’ll have to tell me about that too. How do you like living there?” 

And just like that, it was like things had never changed between them. They started trading stories with each other. Brook Lynn would tell him about her time in Nashville and the different artists she got to work with while Chase told her about some of the cases he got to work on since getting his badge back. He also told her about some of the strange calls he recently had that made her hitting him over the head with a beer bottle look like child’s play. As they spent the time catching up with each other, both of them couldn’t help but smile or laugh at every chance they got. Something about just being in the other’s presence helped them both feel at ease and it was effortless for them to fall back into their old habits with each other.

They still had an undeniable bond and it would always remain that way. But Brook Lynn couldn’t help but wonder if this would end up being a one-time thing. Would Chase stay true to his word and try being friends again even after she returned to Nashville? She really hoped the answer was yes. Her life was better with him in it and there was no denying it. If the past year had taught her anything, it was that friendships like the one they used to have didn’t come around very often. It had taken her losing everything to realize it and she promised herself that if she was ever lucky enough to forge friendships like that again, she would hold onto them and never let go. She was able to do just that with Bryce, Caitlyn, Maxie, Sasha, and so many others. She really hoped that she would be able to do the same with Chase one day. 

“What is that look for?” Chase wondered as he squinted his inquisitive eyes at her. 

“Just that it’s nice seeing you this happy,” she replied. 

“Same with you.” Chase replied as a small smile spread across his lips, “This was nice. I’m glad we got the chance to catch up.” 

“Me too,” Brook Lynn started as she glanced at the box filled with various takeout orders sitting on the table by them, “even though I’m pretty sure your food is getting cold.”

Chase couldn’t help but laugh as he picked up the box and added, “Trust me, it already is.  I’ll just blame the traffic and no one at the precinct will question it.”

“Are you sure you want to lie to your coworkers? That sounds like something the Detective Chase I used to know would come to regret.” 

Chase bit his lip and shook his head before he added, “It doesn’t hurt to tell a little white lie every once and a while. Besides I could never regret getting to spend time with someone who brings me so much joy.” 

“You mean brought,” Brook Lynn quickly added, doing everything in her power to not let herself believe there was anything more behind what Chase said other than a slip of the tongue, “past tense.”

She watched him carefully as he bit his lip again and looked down at the floor briefly before looking back up to stare into her eyes as he replied, “Take it easy, Brook Lynn.” 

“You as well,” she said her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn’t even sure if he could hear her but she didn’t dare try to say it again. She wasn’t sure if she would even be able to get the words out. 

“There you are! I was wondering where you ran off to.” They heard Bryce say as he walked past Bob and made his way next to Brook Lynn. “Dillon needs to film a few scenes with just Amy and Jared so I get a little bit of a break before we film the big confrontation scene. What’s going on back here?”

“Oh nothing, just two old friends catching up,” Brook Lynn replied as Bryce put a protective arm around her, “Have you two gotten a chance to meet yet?” 

“Yeah we have,” Bryce added as he nodded and gently rubbed Brook Lynn’s arm, “it was a couple of nights ago when we were location scouting at that bar.”

“That bar?” Brook Lynn joked, “Could you be any more vague? No wonder you’ve been begging me to help you write songs for your album.”

“Can you blame me? You’re one of the best songwriters in Nashville! And in my defense, your uncle has been working us nonstop since he arrived so I really haven’t had a chance to learn all of the names of the places in this town yet.”   

“Well you kind of have a point there so I guess I’ll give you a pass.” 

“Thank you!”

“Well,” Chase started doing his best to break the growing tension. There was a difference between telling himself that he was happy for Brook Lynn and having to stand by while she flirted with someone else. “This was fun but like Brook Lynn was saying, I should probably get going. It was nice to see both of you again.” 

“Thanks, you too,” Brook Lynn added before she gave Bob a little wave telling him it was alright to let Chase pass. She couldn’t help but notice that Chase raised one of his eyebrows as she did and she hoped that he wouldn’t think anything of it. The last thing she needed was for him to follow the trail of breadcrumbs that started with Bob and ended with Linc and that cursed NDA. 

“You’ll never believe what just happened,” she started as she turned toward Bryce, “I sold a song today!”

“You did! Which one? Never mind, it doesn’t matter, everything you touch turns to gold.”

Brook Lynn couldn’t help but laugh as she motioned for him to take Chase’s empty spot before she added, “It was one of my new ones. It’s called I’ve Gotten Good. It was actually the one I started on after open mic night.” 

“Wait? The one you started two days ago? You sold it already?” Bryce wondered as he leaned forward in his seat, “That’s gotta be a new record.” 

“Funny enough, I thought the same thing!” Brook Lynn joked as she reached for her songbook. “The artist that I sold it to had some proposed changes for the melody and that actually led me to thinking about some changes we could make to the ending of the song we wrote back in January. Since you have some time, can we try it now?”

“It depends,” Bryce started as he scouted his chair closer to hers and did his best to give her a serious stare, “Which song are we talking about? Because I don’t know if I want to mess with perfection and a lot of the songs that we’ve written lately are pretty damn near perfect.” 

“You’re ridiculous,” Brook Lynn replied as she gave him a light punch on the shoulder and showed him the song in question, “It’s the one we started after we saw Steve Miller perform at The Stage on New Year’s Eve. I was thinking that if we found a way to add some layering to the track we could make it sound more like a Steve Miller Band song, since that was our original intention.”

Bryce nodded as he leaned a little closer to Brook Lynn so he could read over the lyrics before he added, “Okay, yeah I see what you mean. So what do you want to try?” 

“What if we try singing this part in a round just to see what it sounds like? Then if we like it, we’ll know how many loops to create and layer together when you go into the studio and record it.” 

“Okay, which line do you want to try?”

“This one right here. You’ll start and I’ll do my best to keep up.”

Bryce couldn’t help but look down at her and smile as he said, “I have a feeling you’ll be able to keep up just fine.” 

She nodded before she started to pat her hands gently on the table in order to recreate the drum rhythm they wanted the song to have as Bryce started to sing: “I’m feelin’ good, good, good.” 

And Brook Lynn quickly repeated: “I’m feelin’ good, good, good.”  

They continued to do that a few more times, stopping to correct themselves or make notes as needed until they felt like they had the right rhythm. 

“Wow, that actually turned out way better than I expected!” Brook Lynn exclaimed. 

“Well I never had a doubt in the world,” Bryce added as he pointed to a different part of the page, “And I like it so much that I think we should also add it during the instrumental break between the second and third choruses, but I kind of want to adlib a bit and see if it works.”

“Okay, what do you need me to do?” 

“Sing that same line over and again and I’ll see if I can find a few places to add in some of those other lines we wrote that didn’t end up making the final cut.” 

“Oh, I love that idea!” Brook Lynn said as she started the familiar rhythm up again and did her best to sing: “I’m feelin’ good, good, good”

“So keep rocking me, baby.”

“I’m feelin’ good, good, good.”

“Uh, I’m feelin’ good”

“I’m feelin’ good, good, good.”

“Oh, I’m feelin’ good now yeah. Oh yeah.” 

“I’m feelin’ good, good, good.”

“Keep rocking me baby, oh yeah. And then we would go straight back into the chorus.” 

Brook Lynn thought it over her head as she gave him a huge smile and said, “Yeah, I think that will work. Let’s try it again!”

*              *             *            *           *

As Brook Lynn and Bryce continued brainstorming about the song in question, Chase couldn’t help but bit his tongue as he watched on from the open doorway. He knew he should have left earlier and it was wrong to eavesdrop but he couldn’t help it. It was like a horror movie, he couldn’t stop watching even though the scene in front of him was slowly killing him. But once Brook Lynn said she was going to sing, he couldn’t turn away even if he wanted to. He had to know more. He didn’t even know that singing was still a possibility for her. Every time he ever asked her about it, she just shot him down and said that part of her life was over. But clearly, that wasn’t the case. He hated that she felt comfortable enough to share that part of herself with Bryce but never did with him. 

He didn’t know why it hurt as much as it did, especially after the nice moment the two of them had shared. It was a step in the right direction but it wasn’t heading in the direction that he wanted. Because in a perfect world, there would be no Bryce, Brook Lynn would have never left Port Charles, and he would be the one she was currently laughing and working on a song with. But that wasn’t the world they were living in and the more he watched the two of them together, the more he realized that it was a world that would never exist again. It was a hard truth he would have to accept if he wanted to be friends with Brook Lynn again. 

He shook his head again as he made his way to the elevators and wondered how he was going to convince the entire PCPD staff that he found himself in such bad traffic it caused their food to get so cold that they would be better off eating the week-old pizza leftover from the night shift. As the thoughts swirled around in his head, he looked back in the direction of the restaurant’s side room and finally remembered why he recognized the tall, towering man who was standing next to the open doorway. Chase knew that he had seen him before but he couldn’t quite place him. It wasn’t until the man in question gave Chase a small nod, almost as if to say: I’ve got it covered, I’m looking after her, that the realization dawned on him. It was Bob. One of Sonny’s most trusted bodyguards. The same one that Sonny always seemed to send if he feared one of his loved ones was in some kind of danger. 

“Brook Lynn, what could you possibly need Bob for? What are you hiding this time?”

Chapter Text

Mmm, now it's looking like you wish you didn't leave her alone. 

As the closing note of his song played throughout the bar, Bryce couldn’t help but feel relieved. Yet another long day of filming had come to an end and he was still surprised by the sheer amount of energy he needed to get through each day. This was the first major video shoot he’d ever had. All of his other music videos had been amateur ones he convinced his sister or one of his friends to film. And they usually just consisted of him performing the song at a bar, on a rooftop, or in a random field somewhere. They were never full-blown videos with storylines and an up-and-coming director from LA calling the shots. 

He was grateful for Dillon’s expertise and passion for the project, he really was, but all of it was starting to become a bit overwhelming. Especially since most music videos only took two to four days to film and they had already exceeded that. Bryce wasn’t sure if Dillon even realized that the final video was only supposed to be around three minutes long. Each day it seemed like he came up with a new idea or different approach to bring to it. And when everything was all said and done, it felt like Bryce was going to have a short film or even a motion picture to send to his label. Dillon was extremely passionate about the project, Bryce would give him that. But he also knew that he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t a bit concerned about how everything would turn out. He had a lot riding on this single and the accompanying music video. His entire future in country music could possibly be on the line if it all crashed and burned. And as much fun as the past week in Port Charles had been, Bryce couldn’t stop the strong feelings of doubt from creeping in the longer the shoot went on.

“And cut. Great job Bryce, you really nailed it that time! I think we’ve got enough filmed for one day, how about we all call it early? Great job again everyone.” Dillon added as he scanned through all of the footage that was captured throughout the day on his IPad.  

“That sounds like a great idea,” Brook Lynn started, a huge smile spreading across her face as she made her way over to Bryce, “I don’t know about you but I think it’s about time we got to finish early and have a night off.”

Bryce couldn’t help but laugh as he felt Brook Lynn place her hands on his chest and start to remove the small mic that was pinned to his shirt. Besides having to lip-sync to his own song repeatedly throughout the day, he also had to film a few flirting scenes with Amy. And Dillion had insisted they both needed to be mic’d up in case he wanted to add any of the unmuted scenes to the final edit. Something that Bryce assumed every music video director did but also led him to believe Dillon was under the assumption that they were shooting a short film for him to premiere at an exotic film festival instead.

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Bryce added as soon as he knew it was safe to do so.

“Dillon means well,” Brook Lynn started as she switched the mic pack off and gave Bryce a little shrug, “he just gets really enthusiastic when he enjoys a project and sees a lot of promise in it.”

“It must run in the family.” 

“What? How so?” Brook Lynn asked, squinting her eyes slightly at him. 

Bryce couldn’t help but lightly shake his head at the sight of it. He would never understand how modest Brook Lynn could be, especially when it came to recognizing how talented she was. “Just that the same could be said about you. Especially when you figure out what a song’s hook is going to be. Or when you decide on the perfect lyrics to complete a verse or a bridge. I still can’t believe I almost lost you in Centennial Park because you were so engrossed in fixing that one song.” 

“In my defense, you were the one who convinced me that going on a walk would be a great way to get over my writer’s block. And I only went along with it because I knew it would make you shut up, so that is still technically your fault.” 

“Yeah, but I think that little excursion you took off the marked path helps prove my point.” 

“Why was there a bench there then?” Brook Lynn wondered, putting her hand on her hip and raising her eyebrows, “It’s not my fault you decided to walk away and keep badgering about killer bees or something.” 

“I was talking about how the park has its own bee hives and how cool I thought it was.”

“Well, all I knew is that it was easy to drown out and that it led to me having that epiphany about how to finish the third verse and that adding a refrain would help reinforce the main theme of the song.”

“So I guess some thanks are in order,” Bryce said, raising his eyebrows, doing his best to challenge her. Brook Lynn was clearly in a sassy mood and he was loving every minute of it. 

“For what?” 

“You should thank me. Because as you said, it was my idea to take you to Centennial Park and force you to go on that mile-long walk in the first place.”

“Thank you?” Brook Lynn exclaimed before quickly scanning around the bar to make sure her little outburst didn’t cause any of the patrons, who were also doubling as video extras, to look in their direction, “You already said that if I don’t sell that song you want it for your album!”

“And I stand by that. It’s a great song, but then again every song you write seems to be better than the one before it.” 

“You’re ridiculous,” Brook Lynn replied as she rolled her eyes and then turned away, walking back to where Dillon was starting to pack up all of his equipment. Bryce did his best to follow her as she continued, “What should we do tonight? We finished at a half-decent time for once and with some food and a little coffee, it wouldn’t take that long for me to get a second wind.”

Bryce nodded, glancing down at the table that held various personal items for everyone working on the video. He grabbed his gray baseball cap and put it on backwards while he thought about what and how he was going to say next very carefully. “I actually think I’m going to head back to the hotel and just take it easy tonight. We may have finished early but I still feel exhausted from all of these long days of filming.”

“Oh okay,” Brook Lynn started, trying to hide the deep calming breath she took as she absentmindedly shifted her weight from one foot to the other, “that actually sounds like a really good idea. We could spend the night working on songs for your album and then maybe order some pizza from Luigi’s or rent a movie or something.” 

“Are you sure?” Bryce wondered, squatting down slightly in order to meet her gaze, “You don’t want to spend this time with your family instead? Or try to catch up with some of your friends before we eventually leave?”

“Did you forget that I’m staying at my family home while we’re here? Trust me, even with Dillon’s crazy schedule I have gotten more than enough quality time with everybody. I actually think we might be getting sick of each other at this point. Besides, we need to get these songs for your album done. You even said that you felt like the label was putting extra pressure on you. Imagine how impressed they’ll be when we return with basically the whole thing written. Then all you’ll need to do is record them and the album will basically be done before you go on tour.”

“And while that sounds awesome. My album is the last thing you should be worrying about right now. We’re only going to be in Port Charles for a few more days and you should take advantage of whatever free time Dillon gives us. Besides, we can write songs and have movie nights when we return to Nashville. Plus, do you have any idea how angry Caitlyn would be if we had a pizza and movie night without her?”

Brook Lynn couldn’t help but let out a little laugh as the image of an annoyed and passive-aggressive Caitlyn crossed her mind. Caitlyn had quickly turned into one of her best friends and Brook Lynn loved her to pieces but she could easily give Maxie or any Quartermaine for that matter a run for their money when she was angry or stressed. “Fair point. But what about you? You might be claiming that you’re tired but I know you, you’re going to get bored just sitting in that hotel room all by yourself.” 

“I’ll be fine. Like you said, I could work on songs for my album or try to catch up on sleep. Or go to one of the bars in the hotel for a drink, or, believe it or not, I could even explore Port Charles more on my own and not get lost,” he smirked at Brook Lynn, knowing full well that he had covered every excuse she would have tried to use for why she thought she couldn’t leave him alone for the night. “I’ll be fine. Now, are you sure there isn’t anyone you’d like to try to catch up with?”

“Well I guess I could call Maxie and see if it’s not too late to have a playdate with Bailey,” Brook Lynn started, a giant smile spreading across her face as the thought crossed her mind. 

“Bailey. That’s your goddaughter right?” 

“Yeah,” Brook Lynn replied, her smile fading slightly as she brushed some hair behind her ears, “something like that.”

“See, doesn't that sound better than being stuck as my visitor’s guide?” Bryce asked, not noticing the awkward tension that was slowly building between the two of them.

“Okay, twist my arm, why don’t you? But don’t be surprised when I pull something like this on you when we return to Nashville. You’re just as bad when it comes to putting stuff off so you can focus on work instead.” 

Bryce let out a little laugh as he bit his lip and lightly nodded, “Duly noted, when we go home I’ll make sure to sleep with one eye open.” 

*              *             *            *           *

He felt the hard edges of the paper scrape against his palm as he crumpled it into a ball and tossed it over his shoulder. He let out a frustrated sigh as he thought about all of the rejected ideas that were now scattered throughout the room. Maybe Brook Lynn wasn’t joking when she said he couldn’t write a song without her. Or maybe his mind was just too distracted with other matters. Between the video shoot, getting accustomed to how fast-paced everything seemed to be in Port Charles, and worrying about Brook Lynn, it had been hard for him to find time to brainstorm ideas for his album. Let alone work on it. And even though it scared the living daylights out of him, he knew it was a good problem to have. Others would kill to be in his position.  

He had been working nonstop since he learned that he finally got the chance to record a full-length studio album. And even though he knew that the label would make him include some singles from his past EPs, he still wanted as many new songs as possible to make the final 14 tracks. Which was probably what made him beg Brook Lynn to help him in the first place. He always loved to challenge himself and push past whatever barriers might be in his way. So he decided he would write a new song every day until it was time to start recording. And he had been doing pretty well until a few weeks before they left for Port Charles. Maybe it was stress about the upcoming video shoot or maybe he was just starting to run out of steam. All he knew was that he didn’t want to force anything, but he also didn’t want to give up on his goal. So he decided to seize the opportunity put in front of him by asking Brook Lynn to write with him more.

He loved writing with her. It was one of the first things they bonded over after she moved to Nashville. But as both of their careers took off–hers as a songwriter and his as a mainstream artist–they didn’t get to spend as much time writing together anymore. And as sad as that was, it was something that they were both okay with, especially Bryce. He knew how lucky he was and he wouldn’t trade it for the world. Even with all of the extra stress he was putting on himself to ensure he created an album that he could be proud of, and maybe would even receive some critical acclaim. He knew what it was like to scratch and claw one’s way up to stardom and even though he wasn’t selling out arenas, and probably wouldn’t be anytime soon, he wasn’t going to take a single minute of his career for granted. If he was going to rise to the top, then it would happen exactly when it was supposed to happen. If that meant today, tomorrow, next week, or ten years from now then he would be ready for it. And if it never happened, if this was as good as his career got, he would be grateful for just getting an opportunity to share his passion with the world. 

But one thing he did feel like he was missing out on throughout all the hustle and bustle was getting to spend quality time with Brook Lynn. It was one of the reasons he jumped at the chance to have her uncle direct his video in the first place. And when he learned that they would have to leave Nashville for the shoot, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little excited. Getting to have multiple days where it would be just the two of them with no distractions, it sounded like heaven. There would be no Caitlyn asking Brook Lynn to do a wine and Bachelorette night. No last-minute writing sessions for one or both of them to get wrangled into. No late nights with the gang at Wildcard where all they could do was sneak flirty looks at each other across the table. No, it would just be the two of them. Working together, continuing to bond, and maybe even seeing if there was something more. And even if there wasn’t, he wouldn’t care. He would just be happy that they got to spend this time together before one, or both, of their careers got so massive that they wouldn’t have time for anything else. It was what both of them deserved, especially Brook Lynn, so Bryce knew that he had to take advantage of any chance he had to spend with her. 

He never had a connection like this before. Not with his friends, not with his past girlfriends, not with his past collaborators, or whatever label they wanted to use. There was just something about her. And something about the two of them and how they supported each other’s goals and passions. He didn’t like the term soulmate–or best friend for that matter–but he knew that Brook Lynn was the closest he would get to either one. He knew on the very first night he met her that she was different, that there was something pure and one-of-a-kind about her. She just had this unexplainable presence. An unwavering and free spirit that told him that he would never meet someone like her again. And that attracted him to her just like how a moth is attracted to a flame. All he wanted was a chance to get to know her. To create a memory that would turn into a crazy story he told around the campfire at Trevor’s the following summer. 

But then he sat down next to her, they got to talking, and everything changed. It was clear as day that she was heartbroken. About what, he didn’t ask. He knew better than that, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were drawn to each other for a reason. And that they both needed each other in their lives. He didn’t believe in fate, but it was the only word he could find to perfectly describe the night they met and the friendship that formed afterward. Especially since he wasn’t going to stay. He was going to leave and give her some space to process whatever troubled her. But that never happened. Instead, he asked the lonely girl sitting next to him if he could buy her a drink and that turned into one of the best decisions he ever made. 

Things were so easy with Brook Lynn. He felt like he could talk to her about anything. From music to movies, from crazy family stories to their favorite hobbies, it seemed like they never ran out of conversation topics. Which Bryce thought was absolutely crazy. Even when he got carried away and couldn’t stop talking about hockey or how much he was looking forward to the next big hunt or finding a time to go fishing with the guys, it was still so easy for them to keep the conversation going. Even when he knew he would never get Brook Lynn interested in most of what he was talking about, she still smiled, nodded, and listened intently to everything he had to say. He hated to say that they were a walking cliche but it was the truth. He was a small-town country boy and she was a big-city girl. She even gagged the first time he showed her a picture of a big bass he had once caught. And the best thing about it was that instead of getting annoyed like he would have with an old girlfriend, he couldn’t help but laugh. It was one of the cutest and most wholesome things he had ever seen. 

That was also the same night he got to see her smile for the first time, and man what a beautiful smile it was. And it was at that moment that he knew he would never stop trying to make her smile. It had been three weeks since they had met and he could tell that she was still in a bad place from whatever had caused her to decide to move to a new city for a brand new start. And her smile said it all. It proved that even though she was still healing from her past, she was starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Watching her entire face light up with joy and hearing that beautiful laugh of hers told him everything he needed to hear. Being her rock, her shoulder to cry on, her Nashville tour guide, her writing buddy, and finally her friend was exactly what she needed him to be, and it was exactly what he wanted to be. And even though he knew better, he ignored the small flutter he felt in his stomach the moment that smile spread across her face. He knew that feeling all too well, it was the first sign of something boiling under the surface. That whatever feelings he had for her might not end at friendship and that was the last thing either of them needed at that time. He wanted to focus on his career and even if she didn’t tell him, he knew that a new relationship was the last thing on her mind. 

So he pushed those feelings aside and hoped they would eventually go away. He only wanted her to be happy and he wasn’t the best at relationships anyway. It was for the best. But the longer he spent away from her the more agonizing it became. He knew they were both busy and they weren’t trying to avoid the other but he found himself doing everything he could to be in her presence. Whether it was asking to write songs with her or just finding an excuse to hang out with her while trying endlessly to get her to laugh or smile, he lived for any moment, big or small, he got to spend with her. For the longest time he thought that was all he needed, all they both needed, but being in Port Charles with her made him question everything. She was back near her family and seemed happy about it but she also seemed more scared and nervous than she was on the night they met. Like being back here would cause her to revert back to that scared girl who only came to Nashville because she had nowhere else to go. Carefree and happy Brook Lynn was gone and was replaced by a quiet and reserved version of herself instead. And watching that transformation happen right before his eyes worried him. What possibly could have happened here for Brook Lynn to change so quickly? Add Bob into the equation, and Bryce was at a total loss. 

All he knew was that he agreed to come to Port Charles because he thought it would be good for her. She was loving her new life in Nashville but he could tell that something was still missing. As much as she claimed that she was fine, she needed her family and occasionally FaceTiming with her little brother wasn’t enough. She needed to spend time with them, she needed to find closure for whatever she was running from. It was the only way she would truly be able to start over with no lingering grudges or regrets. It was also pretty apparent that she didn’t get a chance to give many people in Port Charles a proper goodbye and that she still felt guilty about it. It was part of the reason why he pushed her to hang out with her friends tonight instead of spending it with him. He hated the words as they fell out of his mouth but it was the truth, and he saw how her face had lit up their first night back when she surprised her old coworkers. She had missed them no matter what lies she told him, and it was apparent that they had missed her. She needed to take advantage of any free time Dillon allowed them to have and with their visit to Port Charles coming to an end soon, she was running out of opportunities to do so. 

And Bryce needed time to process everything he was going through. He was a turning point in his career and that made his head spin. There were so many possibilities about where it could go next and what people he wanted at his side when it did. Brook Lynn was definitely one of them but those feelings he pushed aside a year ago were slowly creeping back in and it was challenging for him to determine whether he wanted her at his side as his friend and co-writer or as something more. Of course, none of that mattered if Brook Lynn didn’t feel the same way and that was the last thing she should have to worry about right now. 

But it seemed to be the only thing on his mind and that was no more apparent than in his music. Every time he sat down and tried to write a new song, all he could think about was her. It wasn’t the first time Brook Lynn served as a muse for him but it still felt different. Writing anything that related to her and the possibility of having a relationship with her made him freeze and have some of the worst writer’s block he’d ever had. But the worst part of it was that he couldn’t figure out why that was the case. Was he afraid that she didn’t feel the same way? Or was he actually afraid that she did and he would mess it up somehow? All of his past relationships had ended in disaster and he knew he would never forgive himself if the past repeated itself with Brook Lynn. 

Suddenly his phone vibrated and the sound of it echoing across the wooden table was enough to pull him from his warring thoughts. He let out a little laugh of incredulity when he saw what name popped on the screen. He shouldn’t be surprised by how karmic the situation felt. If you put something out into the universe, the universe will always find a way to give you some sort of an answer. 

Thank you for suggesting I reach out to Maxie. I didn’t realize how much I needed this.

 He couldn’t help but smile as he read over her message. No matter what thoughts he was wrestling with or what their future might end up consisting of, he knew that her happiness would always take priority.

I take it things are going well. 

More than well. I got to have a wonderful playdate with Bailey and I’m actually rocking her to sleep right now. Once she’s down for the night, Maxie and I are going to have a wine night and keep catching up. How has your time alone been going?

He gritted his teeth as he thought about his answer, the last thing he wanted was to tell her the truth. She needed this time with her friend and goddaughter and he knew that she would find an excuse to call it off if he told her what his night had really consisted of. 

It’s good. Trying to write a few more songs and catch up on my goal. Might take an exploratory walk soon. 

Uh oh. Writing not going so well?

Of course, she was able to pick up on his writer’s block from across town or wherever she currently was. It was quite scary how well they were able to understand each other, especially when it came to creating new music. 

No, it’s just a beautiful night and you never know when inspiration will strike ;)

Are you sure? Because I can tell Maxie something came up…

No Brook Lynn. Everything is fine. I promise. Enjoy the rest of your night. You deserve it. 

He watched carefully as the three little dots appeared and danced across his screen as she thought about her response. And he found himself praying that he had done enough to convince her that everything was fine. Brook Lynn could be very stubborn when she wanted to be. In fact, he was pretty sure she was the most stubborn person he had ever met. Something that he didn’t think was possible after spending his entire adolescence with his mother and sister, but Brook Lynn blew them out of the water. When she had her mind set there was nothing and no one who could stand in her way. But it was yet another thing that helped her stand out from anyone else he had never met. When he told others that she was one-of-a-kind, it wasn’t just something he said to impress them, it was the cold hard truth. 

Okay. I’m just a text away if anything changes.

I know but I meant what I said. Use this time to catch up with your Port Charles friends. We’ll talk more in the morning. 

Okay. 

As her final message popped up on his screen, he couldn’t help but look around the room at all of the various scrapped song ideas. He only said he was going to go for a walk in order to calm Brook Lynn down and ensure that she didn’t show up at his door within minutes of receiving that text. Knowing her, she would have her songbook in hand and state that she was ready to work with him until they found an idea they could use to turn into a hit song even if it took them all night to do so. Maybe it would be best if he took the advice he once gave Brook Lynn and found a change of scenery. Getting his blood pumping always seemed to help him clear his mind. Which was exactly what he needed. Curing his writer’s block would be ideal but maybe going on that exploratory walk throughout the city would also help him find the other answers he had desperately been seeking since he arrived in Port Charles.  

*              *             *            *           *

He did his best to wipe the sweat off his forehead without having to take his gloves off. He knew he should stop and that he would end up hurting himself if he kept going, but he didn’t care. He needed to do something in order to vent his frustrations. He needed to clear his head of all the racing thoughts. And as much as his father would hate to hear it, punching the Volonino’s heavy bag until it was about to fall off of its hinges was the perfect way to do both. Chase had been so distracted that it was starting to throw him off his game. Even Mac and Jordan were starting to notice and that was never a good sign. From the moment he got his badge back, he promised himself that he would always be on his A-game and that he would never do anything that would cause the two of them to ever doubt his ability to do his job. 

But it was getting harder and harder to keep that promise ever since he saw Bob at the Metro Court. At first, he thought it might be a fluke and that Bob was there for someone else. Someone like Nina or Olivia. But then he thought back to all the other times he had run into Brook Lynn since she had been back in town. He did his best to recreate the scenes in his mind and, when he did, he realized that Bob had also been present during their run-ins at Charlie’s and the Haunted Star. A small detail that he first brushed off but it was pretty much self-explanatory now. Bob wasn’t there by coincidence, he was there to protect Brook Lynn. But Chase, for the life of him, couldn’t figure out why. Sonny and Brook Lynn were practically family and Sonny always looked out for the ones he cared most about. But why did he feel like Brook Lynn needed protecting? And what, or who, did she need protecting from? 

And, more importantly, why was Brook Lynn going along with it? She hated every minute of Yuri following her around like a puppy. She had found every excuse in the book to ditch him and then when that didn’t work, she would complain to him endlessly about how controlling Valentin was. She had fought Valentin on the Yuri front to the very end, but that didn’t seem to be the case here. And even though Brook Lynn got along with Sonny better than she ever did with Valentin, it was very out of character for her to not fight Sonny on this. And even though the Port Charles “coffee importer” would hate to admit it, Chase knew that Brook Lynn could easily get him to cave and do anything she wanted him to do. So the fact that Bob was still guarding her could only mean one thing: Brook Lynn secretly wanted it. And that thought scared the living daylights out of him. Because if Brook Lynn wanted Bob around, that meant that she was in some kind of trouble and whatever it was, it was something that she couldn’t control. 

It only took Chase about 30 minutes to come to that realization and he had been spending every minute since trying to come up with every possibility about what it could be. And two days later, he was still at a loss. It didn’t help that he couldn’t find anything about her online. Her social media accounts had been deleted shortly after she left Port Charles, a fact that he always thought was strange but was glaringly obvious to him now. She was running from something, and it was probably the same thing that made her leave Port Charles without warning or even a simple goodbye. And whatever it was had made her go radio silent. Something that he didn’t even think was possible for her. She was a ghost, literally. Almost nothing came up when he googled her name. The only thing he could find was The Invader piece Lulu wrote after their fight at the Metro Court when Brook Lynn accidentally broke his nose. He couldn’t help but laugh at the memory when the article first appeared but it also made him even more confused. Brook Lynn could easily hold her own. Their first two meetings had more than proved that. If worst came to worst, Brook Lynn knew how to defend herself, and yet Bob was still there, protecting her wherever she went. Which meant whatever she needed protecting from was so serious that her knowing how to pack a punch wouldn’t be enough to help her.

And knowing that was almost enough to break him. It was the reason he decided to come to Volonino’s in the first place. He couldn’t tell anyone about what he suspected. Not only did Brook Lynn clearly not want anyone to know, but he knew that everyone at work, even Dante, would take things the wrong way. They would see it as him being jealous of Bryce and finding excuses to investigate him and his reason for being in town. Or even worse, they would assume that he had some secret vendetta against Sonny and was using the fact that his ex-girlfriend was in town as an excuse to finally act on it. He was truly on his own. But he was desperate and he wanted to get some answers. 

But that was near impossible because the only way to get answers was to go straight to the source herself. And Brook Lynn was very good at keeping the truth hidden, especially when she didn’t want anyone else to find out about it. She had been so good when it came to keeping the Bailey secret that he was sure he never would have learned the truth if Bobbie never would have accidentally told him about Maxie’s plan to secretly deliver in Beecher’s Corners. They had both learned firsthand from that whole ordeal that the fewer people who knew about your schemes and the secrets, the better. So it wouldn’t surprise him one bit if the only people in Port Charles who knew about the trouble Brook Lynn was in were Brook Lynn and Sonny. Which again, left him with no one to turn to. Sonny knew exactly how to deal with the PCPD if Chase tried to play the detective card and Brook Lynn was like a daughter to him. So even if Chase approached him as a concerned friend, just looking out for Brook Lynn’s interests, there was no way Sonny would tell him a thing. That meant that the only way he was going to get any answers was to confront Brook Lynn directly.

And as much as he hoped that Brook Lynn knew she could always trust him, he had a feeling that she would just lie to him or tell him that he was seeing things that weren’t there. There was no way she would confirm his hunch outright. No, he had to have concrete evidence before he approached her. It would be the only way for her to feel comfortable enough to tell him the truth. It had worked with Bailey and the CCRB letter, so Chase could only hope and pray that this tested and true method would work wonders once again. The only problem was that he had no idea how much longer Brook Lynn would remain in town. And who knew when, or if, she’d ever return.

He sent punch after punch into the heavy bag as he continued to scour through his thoughts for anything that could turn into a possible lead, including Brook Lynn’s last days in Port Charles. Whatever trouble she was facing, it must have started then. But what could she have possibly gotten herself into? Their break up was still fresh and he was doing everything in his power to avoid her. The last thing he wanted was to know where she was, or who she was spending time with. Something that was perfectly justified then but made it near to impossible to help him find answers now. He had no starting point. How could he possibly track her movements in order to come up with some theories? The simple fact was that he couldn’t. He was back at square one. 

He felt the power behind his punches intensify as the memories flashed back. All he could see was the intense hurt in her eyes when she tracked him down at this very gym and pleaded for him to go through with his performance at the Gingerbread Jam. It still stung when he thought back to how he treated her. The tears that pooled in the corners of her eyes when she said that he must hate her still gave him nightmares. For the longest time, he thought that was the moment that caused her to leave town. But now, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was instead the moment when she realized that if she asked him for help with whatever new problem she was facing, he probably wouldn’t give her the time of day. He had been an ass to her. He would easily be the first to admit it. He didn’t blame her one bit for feeling like she couldn’t turn to him in her time of need. 

But then he learned that she had found a way to get the CCRB to look over his case again and how that led him to tell her at the Gingerbread Jam that he would follow through on his promise to get her songs back. She seemed relieved by the thought of it, but also a little sad that he wasn’t willing to let bygones be bygones and get back together. She didn’t seem scared or like she was planning to leave Port Charles. Or maybe he was still too blind with rage. Too distracted by how she had hurt him in order to see that something else was on her mind. That her asking him to fix things and go back to the way things were could have actually been a cry for help. Maybe his refusing her ended up being the final straw that left her with other options but to run.

He landed one final blow on the heavy bag before he finally decided to call it a night. The only thing this workout was doing was causing his mind to run in circles. He still didn’t have any leads and if he kept going, all he would have to show for it would be another bruised shoulder. As well as a very angry father who wouldn’t be afraid to say I told you so when it was all said and done. He rolled his eyes at the thought of it. The last thing he needed from his father was another lecture about pacing himself, not being a hothead, or making peace with any unresolved feelings. It seemed like any conversation he had with his father lately always revolved around one of those three topics and Chase was over it. If he needed an excuse to end his workout early, that was definitely it. 

As Chase removed his gloves and reached for his water bottle, he couldn’t help but shake the feeling that someone was watching him. He glanced around the gym in order to put his mind at ease and bit his tongue once he recognized the man standing under the Volonino’s sign. And just his luck, the person in question was Bryce. Chase studied the singer carefully, trying to figure out what he was doing and why. Out of all the places he could be in Port Charles, why did he have to choose here? It seemed like he was hovering in the doorway, not sure whether to enter the gym or turn around and exit. Chase couldn’t help but wish for it to be the latter. Ever since that initial run-in with Brook Lynn at the Metro Court, Chase seemed to always be confronted with reminders about their relationship or how desperate he was to get it back, even though he knew that was never going to happen. The last thing he needed was yet another reminder about how badly he had screwed everything up. 

He took a drink of water and did his best to appear busy while watching the singer carefully out of the corner of his eye. This run-in was definitely the last thing Chase wanted but he couldn’t let the opportunity pass him by. As much as he hated to admit it, getting Bryce talking was probably his best bet at getting a better idea about whatever was troubling Brook Lynn. Chase started to slowly remove his hand wraps as he watched Bryce walk over to the other side of the gym and grab a few dumbbells.

“Prepping for tomorrow’s shoot?” Chase asked, doing his best to appear nonchalant. 

“What?” Bryce wondered as he did a few biceps curls before he turned to face Chase, the confused look on his face so clear that it could have been seen from a mile away. 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Chase started, taking a deep breath as he did, “it’s just I’ve heard through the grapevine that Dillon has been working you and everyone in your video nonstop. So if you’re here that must mean he wants to be prepared for whatever scenes you’re filming tomorrow. Or have you finished shooting it already?” 

“No, we're not done yet. I just had some free time to kill.” 

Chase would be lying if he said that Bryce’s reply didn’t pique his interest. He also couldn’t help but notice how short and vague his replies were. Getting the singer to open up might end up being harder than he initially thought. “Really. How did you manage that? I don’t know Dillon that well but I heard he’s very much like Brook Lynn when it comes to stuff that he’s passionate about. And let me tell you, when Brook Lynn was managing my fledgling singing career it was always go, go, go. It seemed like she always had a million things on her to-do list.” 

“You were a singer?” 

“Only briefly. I was at a place in my life where I needed to try something new but it turned out that I was better off as a cop.” 

Bryce scoffed at Chase’s reply as he switched from doing biceps curls to triceps extensions, “I bet that’s putting it mildly.” 

“It’s definitely not a career for everyone,” Chase said, doing his best to ignore Bryce’s harsh tone and limited replies. He had to keep the conversation going, no matter how excruciating. “That’s why I’m so impressed by you and your dedication. You’re filming a music video, writing songs during your breaks, and you’re even coming into the gym on your night off. Not many people could deal with such a grueling schedule like that.” 

“I guess it just comes with the territory,” Bryce started as he placed the dumbbell back on the rack and wiped his forehead with a towel, “No pain no gain, am I right? If I want to make it big and sell out arenas one day, I need to start putting in the work now.” 

“Yeah, I guess that’s a good way of looking at it. Speaking of work, is that what Brook Lynn’s doing right now? Helping Dillon with the video while working on what the next big career move for you will be?” 

“I don’t think how Brook Lynn chooses to spend her time is any of your concern. Especially…” 

Now that definitely piqued Chase’s interest. He could tell that he was finally getting somewhere. Now all he had to do was choose his next words very carefully. “Especially what? Because I’m her ex-boyfriend?”

The words stung as he said them. It had been the first time since the breakup that he had referred to himself that way and he hated how easily they had slipped off his tongue. If realizing that Brook Lynn had moved on hadn’t stung him before, then that definitely did. “I promise I’m not asking to be nosy. I’m just wondering if she’ll be joining you soon. I’m almost done here but I can just call it now and make myself scarce if that’s the case.” 

Bryce turned toward Chase and stared daggers at him, apparently that was not the right thing to say in order to keep the singer talking, “Not that it matters, but Brook Lynn isn’t coming here. She’s using this time to catch up with some of her friends. But how noble of you to offer that.”

The distaste in Bryce’s voice was on full display and he did not even try to hide how annoyed he was which caused Chase to be a little off guard. The two of them weren’t best friends and probably never would be but all of their previous interactions had been pleasant. He had no idea where this anger was coming from. But he knew that he had to press on. There was no way he would be able to sleep tonight if he stopped now. If that meant he had to turn this into a hostile interrogation in order to get some answers then he would do so in a heartbeat. “I’m sorry did I say something wrong?” 

Bryce rolled his eyes before replying and the disgust in his voice was evident, “No you didn’t. And that’s the problem. What you’re doing isn’t wrong but it’s definitely stepping over the line.” 

“How so?” Chase wondered, crinkling his eyebrows in confusion, “I’m just trying to have a simple conversation with you.”

“That’s what you call this? A conversation? Come on, it’s clear as day that you’re just talking to me in order to figure out where Brook Lynn is. And I don’t know about you, but I’d call that an invasion of privacy or even stalking.” 

“That is not what I’m doing here. I’m just concerned about her and I wanted to make sure that she’s okay.” 

“She’s fine,” Bryce spat as he grabbed into his gym bag and started to wrap his wrist while mumbling the next part, “No thanks to you.” 

“What?”

“Look, we both know that you want something,” Bryce started as he gave the detective his full attention, “So why don’t you just come out and say it.” 

“Fine I will,” Chase replied as placed both of his hands on his hips, “I want to know why Bob was with you two at the Metro Court the other day.” 

“You know who Bob is?” 

“It’s kind of hard for anyone in Port Charles to not know who Bob is or who he works for,” Chase added, “Not that I’m expecting you to know but Sonny Corinthos has a lot of notoriety in this town…and a lot of enemies.” 

“Look all Brook Lynn told me was that her family in Port Charles is really overprotective and that she was having Bob follow us around to appease them,” Bryce started as he finished wrapping his hands and reached for one of his boxing gloves, “Happy?” 

Chase nodded as he studied Bryce intently, looking for anything that would tell him whether the singer was just telling him what he wanted to hear. Instead, he just saw someone who was as worried about Brook Lynn as he was, “But you don’t believe her.” 

“Of course, I don’t believe her. And clearly neither do you or you wouldn’t be giving me the third degree right now.” 

“Listen,” Chase started as he took a few steps toward the singer, “Bob is one of Sonny’s most trusted guards. Brook Lynn is in good hands with him. I’m more concerned about why Sonny feels like Brook Lynn needs a bodyguard in the first place. Maybe if we take a step back and start this conversation over, we can work together to figure it out.” 

“I don’t need to figure anything out,” Bryce replied, giving up the idea of getting a workout in and giving his full attention to Chase instead, “Brook Lynn has been jumpy and anxious ever since Dillon told her that if he was going to direct my video we would have to come to Port Charles. We arrive and immediately run into you. And then the next day, Brook Lynn has a bodyguard. It’s not that hard to put two and two together.”

“You think she’s scared of me?” 

“What else am I supposed to think? She immediately tensed up the moment she saw you and I haven’t seen her like that since–” 

“Since when?” 

“Since her first night in Nashville! It was the night we met.” 

“Really? Do you mind telling me more?”

“Why?”

“I told you earlier, I’m concerned about her.”

“Okay fine, but why now? You didn’t seem too concerned when she was sitting with a stranger, in a strange bar, in a strange city, crying her eyes out. You didn’t seem too worried about her when you were blowing up her phone with texts that asked her everything under the sun except the one thing she desperately needed you to ask.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“I was there when you confronted her about leaving you high and dry. Acting all hurt about how she left here without giving you an explanation or even a simple goodbye. As if you even deserved one in the first place.” 

“Look, I don’t know what she told you…”

“Don’t you get it?” Bryce wondered, crossing his arms against his chest and Chase couldn’t help but wonder if Bryce was contemplating on whether or not to punch him. Chase knew that feeling all too well. The feeling of not being able to hold his anger in, of being so worried about Brook Lynn’s well-being that everything else just disappeared around him. And that he would do whatever was necessary to keep her safe. A feeling that had been on overdrive since he had that silent exchange with Bob the other day. “She didn’t have to tell me anything. It was written all over her face. Anyone with eyes could tell how hurt and heartbroken she was.” 

His breath caught in his throat as he did his best to visualize the scene Bryce was describing. He had seen Brook Lynn in many different emotional states and sad, scared, and hopeless was always his least favorite. He almost choked as he did his best to ask, “She was hurt?” 

“Physically no, but emotionally…”

“You don’t have to answer that,” Chase added as he rested his hands on top of his head and did his best to take a few calming breaths. All of his thoughts from earlier returned as the waves of guilt and regret washed over him. No matter what had actually caused Brook Lynn to run away with a cover story about managing a band in Europe, he was still at fault for it. If he hadn't treated her as badly as he did, then maybe she wouldn’t have felt like she had to face her problems all on her own. 

“Listen,” Bryce started, his voice suddenly calmer and more forgiving, “I don’t know what happened between the two of you. I just know what I saw that night. And what I saw was a girl who seemed scared, lost, and needed someone to talk to. So that's what I was. I offered her a shoulder to cry on and a kind ear. It took her a while to open up but once she did, all she could talk about was you and her family and how she thought everyone was going to hate her.”

“We’d never do that,” Chase added. He knew better than to talk for the Quartermaines. They could be ruthless when they wanted to be but he refused to believe that they wouldn’t have been there to support Brook Lynn if she went to any of them for help. And even if they refused, it was clear that Sonny would have looked after her. 

Bryce shrugged, “She clearly didn’t think so. All I knew was that she came to Nashville for a fresh start and I was going to do everything in my power to help her do that. And it worked. The Brook Lynn I know now and the scared girl I met a year ago are two very different people. And it might be selfish for me to say this, but I don’t want that to change. And I will do everything I can to make sure she never goes back to being that girl.” 

Chase nodded as he looked down at the ground for a brief moment in order to calm himself. He needed a clear mind if he was going to be able to process all of this. As much as it hurt him to hear about how broken Brook Lynn was when she arrived in Nashville, he knew it was necessary in order to figure out what exactly had happened in the days between when he last saw her on Christmas Eve and he learned that she had left Port Charles. “Did she tell you why she needed a fresh start?” 

Bryce shook his head as he sat down on a nearby bench before he replied, “She just said that she was a struggling songwriter and that she thought attending the annual songwriting festival would help her hone her craft. That it would make her songs a little less personal and maybe a little more relatable.” 

“Why would she want to do that? Her songs are amazing.” 

Bryce couldn’t help but laugh as he glanced over at Chase, “Finally, we agree on something.”

“Okay,” Chase started as he sat down at the other end of the bench, “I’m going to tell you something. I think Brook Lynn might be in some kind of trouble and it got so bad that she didn’t know what to do or how to get out of it. So she left Port Charles and found a place where she could create a whole new life for herself. So if you don’t mind, can you tell me more about her first few days in Nashville? Was she acting scared? Or jumpy at all?”

“Do you mean did I think she seemed like she was running from something?” Bryce asked, “Yeah, I definitely did. I figured it was you?” 

“Why me?” 

“She never mentioned you by name. She just said that she was coming off a bad breakup and that it was nothing to worry about. But her actions told another story. She started off super shy and closed off. And she never left the hotel she was staying at. Each day of the festival she would attend it and then head straight back to her room. I told her that she should join me and a few of the other participants for drinks but she declined. She said that other than meeting me, going to the bar on her first night was a mistake and that it was better for her to keep a low profile. When she decided to stay in Nashville, my friends and I decided that we were going to try to make her open up and step out of her shell a little more. It worked and it got even better once she started to sell some songs and befriended other songwriters and artists. But something still felt off.”

“Off how?” 

“She didn’t want to experience Nashville. At least, not anywhere that had a lot of crowds. But she would tell us all of these stories about growing up in New York City and how she used to travel with her mom when one of the bands she was managing was on tour so she clearly wasn’t afraid of crowds like she claimed to be. She would also get really weird about getting her picture taken. At first, she would outright refuse. Then she would pose for one as long as it didn’t get posted on social media. Now she’s fine with it but I’ll still see her wince from time to time if the flash is too bright.

“Don’t even get me started about the first time I had to convince her to go bar hopping on Lower Broadway. It’s basically what Nashville is known for and she had to do it at least once if she wanted to be a successful country songwriter. Every artist has at least one song about a bar or hanging out on Broadway. So she had to know what that experience was like and I wasn’t going to let up until she finally decided to go with me. Now the idea of going out doesn’t scare her but as she continues to sell songs and become a more sought-after songwriter, she refuses to go to public events. Especially ones that are honoring her and her achievements. Now, I know I said that she’s grown a lot over the past year but from what I’ve heard about the Brook Lynn all of you seem to know–”

“It doesn’t add up,” Chase started as the wheels started to turn in his head, “Also, how successful is she as a songwriter? Are there any songs that I might know?” 

“Depends,” Bryce started, “how often do you listen to country music?” 

“Not often but places like here and the Metro Court will play it from time to time. Now that I mention it, the Metro Court has been playing it a lot lately.” 

“Doesn’t Brook Lynn’s stepmom own it?” Bryce asked as Chase nodded his head in confirmation, “We finally got Brook Lynn to tell them a few months ago that she had been in Nashville all this time instead of living in England like they originally thought. I bet the change was so that they could feel closer to her.” 

“She told Ned and Olivia that she was living in England?” 

“Yeah, she never told me why. She just said that she knew her dad wouldn’t question it and that she could use that as an excuse for not keeping in touch with them as much as she would like.”

“And you never thought that was strange?” 

“No, I thought it was one of the weirdest things I had ever heard. But like I said, I figured she was running from an abusive ex or something. So I didn’t question her on it. I know that if she ever wants me to know the real reason why she chose to leave here and come to Nashville, she’ll tell me when she’s ready.” 

“You really trust her, don’t you?” 

Bryce nodded as he gripped the bench in front of him, “I do. I don’t know if this helped you at all but I need to say one more thing before I leave.”

“What is it?” 

“I was wrong. Whatever Brook Lynn was running away from, or may still be running from, I no longer think it’s you. You seem like a good guy who only wants the best for her.”

Chase took a deep breath as he nodded in response, “I just want her to be happy.” 

“Me too,” Bryce said as he reached his hand out toward Chase, “Truce?”

Chase let out a little laugh before shaking Bryce’s hand, “Truce. And you seem like a good guy as well. It’s comforting to know that when Brook Lynn goes back to Nashville that she’ll have someone looking out for her.” 

“She does and she always will,” Bryce added as he got up and started to get his stuff together. 

“Hey Bryce,” Chase asked as he started to do the same. 

“Yeah?” 

“You never answered me earlier. How is Brook Lynn doing as a songwriter? I tried googling her so I could listen to some of her songs but nothing came up.” 

“That’s because she chose to write and sell them under a pseudonym,” Bryce started, “Many songwriters do it. Especially artists that want to sell their songs to other artists and not have it splashed all over the headlines that they’re the ones who wrote it.”

“Oh and let me guess you don’t trust me enough to tell me what it is?”

Bryce laughed as the song playing over the loudspeakers changed and he couldn’t help but smile, “I don’t think it matters if I tell you because you’d probably figure it out anyway. Especially after I tell you that one of Brook Lynn’s songs is playing right now.”

“It is?” Chase asked as he turned his head toward the nearest speaker and focused all of his attention on the simple yet soothing melody.

“Yeah, it is. I wonder if this means that the artist chose to release it as a single. If so, that would be the fourth or fifth song of hers currently getting radio play.”

“Wow, that's amazing!”

“I know,” Bryce started as he grabbed the rest of his things, “So to answer your question. Yeah, I would say she’s pretty successful. I can’t think of any other songwriter who has had the type of success Brook Lynn has had this early in their career. Especially since Brook Lynn is doing all of this without a publishing contract.” 

“Yeah,” Chase added, a small smile spreading across his face as he did, “Brook Lynn has never been the best with contracts.” 

“That might be the case but she also has more control over her music this way,” Bryce started, “She can write about whatever she wants, can oversee the sales, and usually gets all of the profits.”

“What do you mean by usually gets all the profits?” 

“It depends on whether she co-wrote the song with anyone or not. But even when that’s the case, she is still getting a higher share of the profits than if she was working with a publisher.”

“That sounds perfect for her. She must be thrilled.” 

It was Bryce’s turn to smile as he said, “She is. She is by far the most talented songwriter I’ve ever met and soon all of Nashville will know that too.”

Chase bit his tongue as he nodded his head in response. He should be happy for her. He should be beaming with pride but something still felt off. She had everything she could have dreamed about. She had a career in music, full control and ownership over her songs, and, by the sounds of it, a line full of artists willing to buy and record her music, yet she was still hiding in the shadows. And for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. 

“Oh and Chase,” Bryce said as he made his way toward the locker rooms.

“Yeah?” 

“Brook Lynn’s songwriting pseudonym. It’s Brielle Asher. Please don’t make me regret telling you that.” 

“You won’t. I promise,” he replied before throwing all of his stuff back into his gym bag. He knew that he should grab the rest of his stuff from the locker room and should probably take a shower but that could wait. All he knew was that he had a long night of googling in front of him. The conversation with Bryce had been a start but it didn’t provide him with all of the answers he needed. But he at least had the next piece of the puzzle: Brook Lynn’s songs. They would lead the way. As much as he hated Linc and how the two of them never managed to show the world the monster that he really was, Linc had told him something once that really stuck with him. It was probably the most truthful thing that jerk had ever said: Some people write vague lyrics. Or lyrics with metaphors. But not BLQ, in her songs she wears her heart on her sleeve. It’s in every note, every line. 

And as the closing lyrics of her song played over the loudspeakers, it was clear as day that still remained to be the case:

Hurts like hell when you're goin' through it all

Get knocked down, but we get back up

Whatever don't kill you makes you tough, tough

Whatever don't kill you makes you tough, tough

we tough, we tough

Brook Lynn’s songs would reveal everything to him if he took the time to go through all of them. And as far as he was concerned, he had all the time in the world.

Chapter Text

“Here’s your card back Ms. Quartermaine.” 

“Thank you,” Brook Lynn replied with a soft smile on her face as she placed her credit card back in her wallet and took a quick look around her. She had been in many coffee shops and diners in her lifetime but there was just something different, something special, about Kelly’s. The others could never hold a candle to it. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the cozy atmosphere or the nostalgic feelings she got every time she entered, but there was truly something magical about the Port Charles staple. And it was something she would truly miss once she returned to Nashville. Perhaps that was why she was currently trying to commit every single little detail about the place to memory. While Bryce’s video shoot was taking longer than either of them had expected, they could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. The shoot would be over soon and then before either of them knew it, they would be on a plane back to Nashville. Back to their real life, back to their home.

Being back in Port Charles had been good for her. It brought her some much-needed closure and it helped her reconnect with her family, but in her heart, she knew it was time to leave. The longer she stayed in Port Charles, the more complacent she became and it was easy for her to start forgetting all of the reasons she had been nervous about returning in the first place. Her dad and Olivia were here, Bailey and Leo were here, and her friends were here. She knew that if someone begged and pleaded with her enough to try to get her to stay that it could easily work in their favor. Sure, she missed her friends and her life in Nashville but the longer she was in Port Charles, the easier it was for her to imagine what her life might look like if she never went back. 

But then she would catch Bob hovering in the corner of her eye and it would all come rushing back to her. She couldn’t stay in Port Charles. It wasn’t safe. Not for her, not for her loved ones, not for anyone. She had to go back to Nashville. It was better for everyone that way. She would be far away from Linc and if he wanted to seek retaliation, he would be too busy searching for her instead of trying to go after her loved ones. As much as she would miss Port Charles, she knew it was for the best. If anything, this past week had taught her that she didn’t have to leave Port Charles completely in the dust. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if she returned for brief visits every now and then. As long as Sonny was willing to keep loaning Bob out, she would be safe and she wouldn’t have to feel like a complete stranger to her friends and loved ones anymore.

“Oh shit, Bob,” She said as she searched desperately around the establishment until she found the massive figure she had grown accustomed to seeing every day. She let out a sigh of relief when she finally saw him standing outside the entrance in the cold March air. Even with the sun beaming down, giving everyone their first taste of spring, the wind was still crisp and served as a strong reminder that they weren’t in the clear just yet. Winter could still rear its ugly head and return at any moment. She shook the thoughts away as she turned back toward the worker behind the counter, “Excuse me, could you add another medium black coffee to my order? Thank you.” 

It felt like only a brief moment in time. Just long enough to get her credit card back out and pay for Bob’s coffee, something that probably only took thirty seconds, a minute max. But it was long enough for him to appear in her life again without warning. It seemed like that was the only thing he knew how to do these days. But this time was so sudden that she almost jumped out of her skin when she saw him.

“Are you okay?” Chase wondered, his eyebrows crinkling as he did, “I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just distracted and in my head so I didn’t notice when you came in. For a second, it was like you appeared out of thin air or something.” 

He bit his lip and briefly glanced down before replying, “I think there might be a lyric in there or is that not country enough to make the final cut?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his response. She didn’t know if he meant it in a joking way or in an earnest way, all she knew was that it was nice being able to have this kind of rapport with him again. It had been so long since it felt like they could just sit and talk about anything. To joke around and tease each other like it was a mini-competition. It was something she had desperately missed. “I’m sure I could find a way to squeeze it in if I really wanted to. Let me guess, you’re here to get a donut fix?” 

She watched as he raised his eyebrows at her and a blank expression fell over his face, “Have you ever seen me eat a donut in the whole time I’ve known you?” 

She shook her head as the worker from earlier handed her a full cup carrier. She did her best to balance it on her free hand before grabbing the additional cup sitting on the counter, “Never. But you are a cop at Kelly’s in the middle of your shift, so it’s not too far in the realm of possibilities.” 

“And what makes you think that I’m working today?” Chase wondered, placing both of his hands on his hips in a half-joking, half-serious manner. 

“So you mean to tell me that you like wearing dress shirts and ties just for the hell of it now?” Brook Lynn wondered, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at him, “Not to mention, making sure that your badge is where everyone can see it, even if they’re a mile away.” 

Chase couldn’t help but smile as he said, “You got me. You can be really observant when you want to be.” 

“That’s because it comes with the territory. To be a successful songwriter, you need to be observant and take in every moment. You never know when inspiration will strike.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Chase replied absentmindedly, “Hey, can I ask you something?” 

She didn’t know why the question caught her off guard. Maybe it was the softness in his voice, maybe it was the hesitant look in his eyes, or maybe it was just her reading more into the situation than she should. All she knew was that she couldn’t shake the feeling that the air around them had shifted as soon as he asked her that. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?” 

She watched as he took a deep breath and looked her straight in the eyes. It was almost like he was doing everything he could not to talk himself out of whatever he was about to say next. “Are you okay?” 

“What kind of question is that?” she wondered, not even trying to hide her astonishment. Out of all of the things he could ask her, she was not expecting something as simple and complicated as that. “Of course I am. I…I have everything I could have ever wished for.” She set the carrier down so she could brush some hair behind her ears and look anywhere in the restaurant that wasn’t at him. As she did, she couldn’t help but shake the little voice inside her head that said well, almost everything. 

As she gathered all of her stuff, she glanced back at Chase who gave her a soft smile and replied, “Glad to hear it.” 

She did her best not to overanalyze the fact that his voice cracked as he said that. It was probably nothing. Probably just a result of the harsh March wind irritating his vocal cords. Nothing more. “You know what,” she started as she put on a brave face and picked up the carrier, “it was great seeing you again but I really should get going. Dillon had the great idea of filming in the park today and I’m sure Bryce and Amy are freezing by now.”

“Of course,” Chase added as he stepped out of her way and she did her best to calmly walk past him toward the exit while fighting every urge she had to sprint out of there. Just as she was reaching for the doorknob she heard him say, “Brook Lynn, wait.” 

So close. She thought to herself as she glanced up toward the ceiling, taking a deep breath as she did. “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry for acting so rash,” Chase started as she turned to face him, “But if I don’t ask you this, I may never forgive myself.” 

“Ask me what?” Brook Lynn whispered. She wasn’t even sure if Chase could hear her, she was so caught off guard that it had taken everything she had in her to get the words out.

She watched him carefully as he took another deep breath and appeared like he was studying her carefully. Just like he used to do after he arrested her or the time he confronted her about Bailey. She couldn’t help but feel on edge. Whatever he wanted to ask her, it had to be big, he wouldn’t be acting this way otherwise. “What is the real reason you left Port Charles?”

“Wait, didn’t Layla tell you?” she answered, doing her best to laugh it off, “I had a meeting with a band in LA. They had a falling out with their manager and needed to find a replacement before their European tour kicked off. Time was of the essence and I had to act fast if I wanted the job.” 

She watched Chase nod his head a few times, clearly getting lost in his thoughts as he did. But that didn’t make her feel any less nervous. She had seen that look enough times to know that he was in the process of connecting whatever dots he had floating around in his head. “Yeah, that’s what Layla told me. But did any of that ever actually happen?” 

Of course, he figured it out. She thought as she glanced down at the coffee she was holding, making sure that she hadn’t spilled any while reviewing the extensive conversations she had with Layla over the last few months. The ones where they practiced the new cover story they crafted when she decided to finally tell her father the truth, or at least the partial truth, about what had led to her moving to Nashville. The same story she repeated to herself over and over the entire plane ride back to Port Charles until she finally accepted it to be the truth. It was the only way to ensure that others believed it as well. And she knew that Chase was watching her carefully and would probably dissect every single word she told him. If she could get him to believe her, then she would be in the clear. No one would ever think to question her story if Port Charles’s favorite detective also believed it. “Of course it did. I got the job. We started the tour and everything went really well…until it didn’t.” 

“What do you mean it didn’t?” Chase asked while squinting his eyes and slightly tilting his head, causing Brook Lynn to let out a little laugh. She couldn’t help it. She knew that he was meticulously going over her story and trying to determine if there were any holes in it but she couldn’t help but notice how much he resembled a golden retriever while he did. 

“Oh you know, typical band shenanigans. To be honest, I should have realized what I was signing up for. They claimed that they fired their first manager because they didn’t mesh. The personalities were just too different and their outlooks for the band’s future didn’t match. But in reality, they didn’t like having someone that told them what to do or someone that acted like they knew what was best for them. There was a lot of infighting between the band members too. Looking back on it, that job was never going to last. It was just a quick fix. A bandaid on an open wound. They wanted someone who would enable their rockstar ways and tell them everything they wanted to hear. And I was never going to be that person so they decided that I wasn’t a right fit and then they fired me.

“But I decided to not let that get to me. I was going to view it as a learning experience and not as a failure. Plus I was in Europe with a lot of newfound free time. So I took advantage of the new situation I found myself in. I traveled around Europe, did some sightseeing, and even lived in England for a few weeks before I decided that it was time to come back stateside. And when I did, I ended up having a long layover in Nashville. I was still in a traveling mood so I explored the city while I waited and I fell in love with everything I saw. There was just so much history and tradition there. Music is so ingrained in the culture and I was finding it really hard to say goodbye, so I didn’t.” 

“You decided to stay instead?”

She nodded as a small smile spread across her face, “Yeah. I canceled my flight and I’ve been living there ever since.”

“Okay,” Chase started as he took a small step toward her, “that’s a really good story, Brook Lynn”

“Why do I sense that there’s a but coming?” 

“Because it’s almost too good of a story.”

“Well I don’t know what else to tell you,” she retorted while she did her best to readjust her purse strap and took a step closer to the door, “sometimes life just works out that way and maybe I finally have some luck on my side.” 

“Nice try Brook Lynn, but things aren’t adding up. I know there’s something else you’re hiding.”

“Why does this feel like deja vu?” She asked as she rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall closest to her. 

“Probably because it is. We always tend to have conversations like this when you refuse to tell me what’s really going on with you.”

She couldn’t help but wince as she thought back to that night. The last time she kept something from him and he confronted her about it. She didn’t know what was worse: him yelling at her while at least being upfront about everything or this weird take on psychological torture. “Well as much fun as it would be to travel down memory lane, I really have to get going. I don’t want these coffees to get cold and I really shouldn’t leave Bryce alone with Dillon for too long.” 

“Didn’t you say Amy is with them?”

“She is, but she can’t handle Dillon. If he gets another crazy idea for the video, there will be no talking him out of it. He’s in one of those moods where the only one who can convince him to do anything other than what he has already put his mind to is another Quartermaine.”

“Okay look,” Chase started as he closed the distance between them and placed a comforting hand on her arm, “I know that something else is going on, Brook Lynn. And don’t tell me that I’m overreacting or that it’s nothing. If that was the case, you wouldn’t have Bob waiting outside for you. And you definitely wouldn’t let him follow you back to the park. So please, be honest, what aren’t you telling me?”

She found herself taking a deep breath as she tried to blink away a few tears that were starting to gather in the corners of her eyes. As she did, she frantically searched around the room, desperately trying to find something to focus her attention on. Her options were slim but she needed to look somewhere, anywhere, that wasn’t at him. Which was next to impossible now that Chase was standing just a few inches in front of her. “Look, it’s nothing. Uncle Sonny is just appeasing my mother. She’s been feeling really overprotective lately and I don’t think she took the news that I was coming back to Port Charles very well. That’s it, I swear. There’s no need to worry.” 

“But Brook Lynn,” Chase started as his hand slowly traveled down her arm until it was cradling her hand and he did his best to give it a light squeeze. “You keep forgetting that I know you, probably better than anyone else. I know exactly how you would act if that was the case and you wouldn’t go along with it. You would fight it at every turn and give Bob the slip any chance you got. But you haven’t tried to do that at all and that’s what worries me.” 

He paused briefly to brush some hair that had fallen in front of her eyes away with his free hand before letting it rest on the side of her neck. His thumb started to lightly caress her cheek as he continued, “I wish that you would forget about everything that went down between us and just trust me. I wish that you would forget that I’m a cop and see me as…as your friend instead. I just want to help. So please, let me help you.” 

He said his last words barely above a whisper as his eyes stared deeply into hers and she couldn’t help but get lost in them. If anyone who didn’t know their history walked in, they would assume that the two of them were in the middle of some cheesy romantic moment that only a Hallmark movie could dream up. That they were so lost in the other’s embrace that the rest of the world disappeared around them. That they were so in love and the only thing they could focus on was each other. But that could not be further from the truth. Yes, they were both staring deeply into the other’s eyes but only because they were both trying desperately to communicate with the other without speaking. To tell each other the answers they so desperately wanted to hear but would mess it up somehow if they actually said the words out loud. Or like many other times before, one of them might chicken out before telling the other the truth. So they had resorted to this. Just staring into the other’s eyes, doing their best to convey with their actions what their words would never be able to say. And even after all this time, his eyes still told her everything she needed to know. His worry was evident. He still cared about her. 

Snap out of it Brook Lynn. She thought as she fought for the logical part of her brain to take over. He didn’t care for her anymore, at least not in that way. He was concerned for her safety and that was as far as it went. He was a glutton for punishment and he always would be. He would always take the weight of the world onto his shoulders even when he knew better. Even when he knew that doing so would lead to him getting burned in the end. This was all this moment was. And that was all it was ever going to be. No matter how many times she tried to put a different spin on it. 

The floorboards started to creak under them as he took another small step toward her, making the incredibly short distance between them a little more claustrophobic. She could feel her eyes starting to close as she started to wonder about what would happen next. Being in his presence was just as mesmerizing now as it was back when they were dating. It wouldn’t take much for her to forget everything that had happened in the past year and pretend like the breakup had never happened. It wouldn’t take much for her to lean in closer until her lips were just millimeters away from his. It wouldn’t take much for her to press her lips against his and wait to see how he would respond. Would he return the kiss like he did on her family terrace or would he push her away with a mixed look of shock, hurt, and disgust in his eyes? Of course, it would be the latter. She would have to be a fool to think differently.

She pressed her back into the wall as she took a deep, calming breath and did her best to collect herself. It had been a while since she had allowed herself to get lost in the land of make-believe. And being that close to him again had put her over the edge. Chase was her friend. He had even said as much a little bit ago, but that’s all he would ever be. She was grateful to have him in her life again and she wasn’t going to do anything that could jeopardize that. She took one final deep breath before using her free hand to gently push him back, giving both of them some much-needed distance. He dropped both of his hands and took a few steps backward, seemingly trying to catch his breath as he did. She looked away and did her best to compose herself. She couldn’t let him see how much the exchange had affected her, that would only make matters worse. Instead, she used the new opportunity, and free space, given to her to walk back to the exit. If she didn’t leave soon, she wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to. She could still smell his cologne and it was still as intoxicating as she remembered. “I really need to get going. It’s still cold out, especially with the wind, so the sooner I can get these to the park, the better. That and Dillon is absolutely horrible when he doesn’t get his coffee fix. It actually makes me look quite calm in comparison.” 

“Uh yeah, you should probably get going then,” Chase said between taking two deep breaths, “Good luck with the rest of the video shoot. And Brook Lynn…I just want you to know that I’m only a phone call away if you ever need someone to talk to. My number hasn’t changed…if you still have it, that is.” 

Brook Lynn felt like she couldn’t move as the sting of Chase’s words hit her and tears started to pool in her eyes. She felt a strong gust of the cool March air blow past her as Bob opened the the door for her and she slowly started to come back to reality, “I need to go. Bryce needs me, I’m sorry.”

She barely got the words out before she finally let the tears fall freely onto her cheeks. All she could focus on was getting out of there. What she needed most in that moment was to get as far away from Kelly’s--and from Chase--as possible. 

Once she was outside, she paused for a brief moment to regain her composure. The patio area outside the restaurant provided just enough of a barrier for her to wipe away her tears and put on a brave face before she had to rejoin the others. If she didn’t act like the only thing bothering her was the sharp wind, she knew it would be one the first things Bryce asked her about as soon as the two of them had a moment alone together. She turned toward Bob, planning to ask him if he was ready to go, but she couldn’t help but let out a little laugh instead. She didn’t know what she was expecting. Maybe he would see that she had been crying and then actually talk to her for once. Or maybe the expression on his face would change to one of concern, but, of course, none of that happened. Instead, he just stood there, still as a statue and as calm as ever. As she spent more time with Bob, Brook Lynn couldn’t help but wonder if he could give the guards at Buckingham Palace a run for their money. He was always standing at attention and his stoic expression never left his face. Not even when she handed him the coffee she had ordered just for him. He just took a sip of it and nodded his head in approval as she readjusted her coat before waving in the direction they would take back to the park. At least she could always count on Bob, the gentle and silent giant, to provide her with some consistency. Especially with how unpredictable Port Charles could be. If today had taught her anything, it was that the sooner she could leave again, the better. 

*              *             *            *           *

She returned to the park in the nick of time. Dillon had just called cut and looked like he was about to blow a gasket. About what, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she was grateful for the distraction. Not only did no one notice that her face was still a little red and puffy from her earlier tears but she was also hailed as a hero for calming Dillon down. After that, the rest of the shoot was a breeze. Everyone had a new boost of energy thanks to the caffeine and the wind had finally settled down enough so they could shoot for longer than thirty seconds at a time. Brook Lynn loved being on set. She usually found it thrilling to watch how everything slowly came together as well as how Bryce and Dillon got to be completely in their element during all of it. It was exciting and it also allowed for her to relive her glory days. The ones where she was still chasing the dream of being the next big pop sensation. But those senses of thrill and excitement weren’t present as she watched Bryce and Amy film their final scenes.

Instead, her mind kept going elsewhere. It reminded her of her early days in Nashville when the breakup with Chase was still fresh and she thought she would never get over him. Anything could pop up that reminded her of him at a moment’s notice. Hearing a police siren whirl past her while she was taking a walk, a fight breaking out at one of the Predators games Bryce dragged her to, his song playing in the background of a movie trailer, it didn’t matter they would all stop her in her tracks. It was like she was frozen in time and all she could think of was him. It would take hours to shake the feelings and the flashes of their time together away. But as she spread her wings more and got more involved with her songwriting, those feelings and moments started to fade until they didn’t happen anymore. But then they shared that moment at Kelly’s and it was like the early days in Nashville all over again. 

Any little thing would set her off. Bryce brushed some of Amy’s hair behind her ear. Someone’s phone, with a ringtone very similar to the entrance bell at Kelly’s, would go off. Dillon, Bob, or someone else working on the video would stand a little too close to her and the next thing she knew, she was back there, reliving the moment all over again. She could feel the bumpy texture on the wall pressed into her back, the warmth of the coffee sitting in her hand, the cool metal of his watch resting against her wrist, the dry ridges of his thumb stroking her cheek, and the incessant pounding of her heart inside her chest as she did her best to remain calm. It was all she found herself being able to focus on. So much so that when everyone moved to a different part of the park to shoot a new scene, it took her a few minutes to realize what had happened. If it wasn’t for Bob placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, she could only imagine how long she would have been standing there, lost in thought, wondering about what would have happened if she wouldn’t have pushed Chase away.

“And cut!” Dillon shouted, bringing Brook Lynn back to reality for what felt like the billionth time that day, “That’s it, everyone. That’s a wrap!”

Bryce let out a celebratory shout as he gave Amy a high five and Brook Lynn broke out into a giant smile as she watched the interaction play out. Bryce definitely knew how to live in the moment and his youthful energy was always a joy to be around. It was exactly what she needed when they first met and it was still something she found herself in need of even a year later. Her smile only grew bigger as she watched him jog toward her before he enveloped her in a huge bear hug. “You did it! How does it feel?” 

“Amazing! I know I doubted your uncle earlier but I have a really good feeling about this video. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!”

“Same here, but don’t let Dillon hear that last part. We’ll never hear the end of it, especially if the video does as well as we hope.” 

“How bad are we talking?” Bryce asked, raising his eyebrows inquisitively. 

“Well,” she started as they watched Dillon have an enthusiastic conversation with Amy and she felt Bryce put his arm around her. “You remember how he was when you first pitched the idea to him. He was really excited about it but you two seemed to be on the same page. But then we got here and he took over the entire project. It would be like but only worse. If you win a CMT Award, you’ll be expected to give him a shout-out in the acceptance speech.”

“Wow.” 

“And that’s just the beginning. I’m sure he’d also want you to go on record about how you didn’t believe in his vision and thought the video would be a colossal failure.” 

“I never said that,” Bryce joked before turning serious and looking into her eyes, “did you mean what you said before?” 

She returned his gaze and almost lost her breath as the shiny, almost mystical, blue orbs pulled her in. How had she never noticed just how bewitching his eyes could be? “Mean what?” 

“About me winning a CMT Award for this video. You really believe in me that much?” 

“With all my heart,” she replied, a soft smile spreading across her face as she did. It was true, she did believe in him. She knew that he had what it took to become a huge star. He would be selling out concert venues and releasing hit after hit before he knew it. She fully believed in him just like she knew that he fully believed in her. Yet as they continued to stare into each other’s eyes, she couldn’t help but feel like something was off. The conversation felt very familiar to her. But she wasn’t exactly sure why. They had spent many nights together at Wildcard talking about anything and everything under the sun. They had spent many writing sessions procrastinating by talking about the goals they had for their careers but the topic of believing in each other and their ability to achieve those goals never came up. This was new territory for them. 

But she couldn’t shake the fact that she knew she had said those same exact words before. And if they weren’t directed at Bryce, then who were they directed at? She raked her brain for the answer as she continued to stare into Bryce’s light blue eyes and the flashes from earlier returned. Except this time, they weren’t just flashes of the moment she shared with Chase with Kelly’s. They were a mix of moments the two of them had shared before she left Port Charles. The steam room, the patio at the beach house, him serenading her at Leo’s birthday party, the first time he held her hand, countless conversations they had shared in the Quartermaine kitchen. 

Wait, that was it, the kitchen. That was where she had told someone that she believed in them with all her heart. She did her best to remember the moment in question. Who was she with and what were they talking about? The mental image was blurry. She could only see bits here and there. Leo and Olivia standing by the window going through a box of some kind. The table was pushed off to the side and her father was standing in the doorway holding a black garment bag. No, he was walking toward someone. But who? She wasn’t quite sure but as she did her best to reimagine the scene in her mind, it all soon became clear. It was Chase. He was there too and they were in the middle of trying to determine what his pop star look would consist of. But he was doubting his ability to be a singer and she was doing her best to convince him otherwise. 

“Brook Lynn, there you are!” Amy’s shrill voice called, making the memory dissolve before her eyes, “Thank you again for bringing us all coffee. That was so thoughtful of you!”

“Of course Amy, it was my pleasure.” 

“I still can’t believe it. We’re working together again! After the way, Lucy freaked out last time…”

“Uh yeah, there’s no need to bring that up,” Brook Lynn started as a giant, inquisitive smile spread across Bryce’s face. 

“Wait, what happened last time?”

“It’s nothing.” 

Amy’s eyes grew wide as she added, “Um, I wouldn’t call it nothing. Lucy still reminds me about it whenever she gets a chance. I’m sure she’d blacklist me from performing at the Nurses Ball if she could.”

“Well it’s a good thing you’re a nurse then,” Brook Lynn replied while rolling her eyes. Even spending a year away from her couldn’t make Amy any more tolerable to be around, “so you’ll never have to worry about that happening.” 

“Okay, now I have to know what happened. This story already sounds too good.” 

“I–” Brook Lynn started.

“And I would love to tell you about it!” Amy exclaimed as her face lit up with delight, “We can do it over drinks! We should go celebrate that we finished the video shoot!”

Brook Lynn was speechless. Even if she could get a word in edgewise, she didn't know how to respond. The last thing she wanted was to spend another second with Amy going down memory lane but she couldn’t think of a polite way to tell her that. 

“That sounds really fun,” Bryce started as he glanced over at Brook Lynn and noticed how tense she was. He moved behind her and draped his arm over her chest, giving her a comforting hug, and interlaced his fingers with hers before he added, “What do you say, Brook Lynn?”

“Um, I’m not sure—”

“Come on, it will be fun,” Amy interrupted as she turned to face Dillon, “Dillon! We’re going to go celebrate, you need to come with us!”

“You three go ahead,” Dillon called back, “I have to go back and start editing.” 

“Typical,” Amy said while rolling her eyes, “You two wait here. I’ll go talk some sense into him and then we’ll go. What do you think about Charlie’s?” 

“Absolutely!” Bryce exclaimed as he gave Amy another high-five with his free hand before she raced off to catch Dillon and persuade him to change his mind. Bryce laughed as he watched Amy jog back across the park to a wary-looking Dillon before he returned his attention back to Brook Lynn, “Hey, what’s the matter?” 

“What?” Brook Lynn wondered as she pulled his arm a little closer to her and leaned her head back against his chest, “Oh, did I space out again? Sorry about that. I think being out in this weather all day is starting to catch up with me.”

“Which is nothing a little whiskey can’t fix, but you don’t seem to like that idea.”

“It’s not that,” she started, shaking her head as she did her best to look up at him, “It’s just that Amy and I have a long history, and not all of it is good. I don’t like the idea of all of it getting dragged back up. And knowing Amy, that’s exactly what she’ll end up doing whether she means to or not.” 

“Well, I’ll be right there to change the conversation topic if needed. But are you sure that’s all it is?”

She did her best to smile and nod. She was worried that going out with Amy would result in her sharing something she shouldn’t, but that wasn’t the only thing Brook Lynn was distracted by. Her earlier interaction with Chase was still heavy on her mind. Not only could she not shake the moment they shared, but she also couldn’t get the conversation that spurred the moment out of her head. 

When a bell goes off in my head. I ask questions until I get answers. Chase had once told her that and she had witnessed it firsthand many times since then. If he was already doubting her cover story then it wouldn’t be much longer until he figured out the truth. Or maybe he already had. She definitely wouldn’t put it past him.

“You know what?” she said as she let her hand fall out of Bryce’s and stepped out of his embrace, “You’re right, I guess I am a little distracted. You see, I ran into an old friend at Kelly’s and I promised that we would try to find time to catch up before I left. But–”

“You’re not sure if that will be the case since we finished the video,” Bryce finished for her. 

“Exactly. So I think that I’m going to take a rain check on drinks and see if that friend is available for dinner. That way we can get that chance to catch up…and put everything on the table.” 

Bryce gave her a soft smile as he reached out for her hand again, swinging it slightly as he did, “I think that’s a great idea. You should definitely go do that.” 

“You don’t mind?” 

Bryce couldn’t help but laugh as he shook his head, “Of course not. You go do what you need to do but don’t think for a second that means I’m not getting drinks with Dillon and Amy. I want to hear the rest of that story from earlier.” 

“Okay fine,” Brook Lynn laughed as she absentmindedly played with her purse, “If that’s really what you want to do in order to celebrate finishing your music video then I won’t stand in your way. Just remember that it was a different time and I…didn’t always have the best mindset back then.” 

“Oh this is going to be juicy,” Bryce joked while rubbing his hands together menacingly, “Hey, have fun with your friend tonight, you deserve it.” 

She gave him a light smile and gently squeezed his hand as she said, “Thanks, Bryce.” 

“Don’t mention it,” he replied, winking at her before he made his way over to Dillon and Amy. “Hey, are we getting drinks or what? It’s about time you two learned how to party Nashville style.” 

Brook Lynn laughed when she thought about what kind of chaos the three of them would get into and she was even a little sad that she was going to miss it but she knew it was for the best. She had other places to be. And if she didn’t leave now, she knew that she would talk herself out of it for good. She caught Bob’s attention and waved for him to follow her. 

*              *             *            *           *

The drive was quicker than she remembered but she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. It was long enough for her to collect herself but short enough that she couldn’t plan out everything she was going to say. There was so much she had to cover and she had absolutely no idea how she was going to do it. She took one final deep breath as she looked up at a very familiar window. One she had glanced out of countless times over the years.The light was on, a clear indication that she had to go forward with her plan. If the light was off then it would have been harder to track him down, but, just as she suspected, he was home. Probably watching a basketball game or scouring over a bunch of files for whatever case he was currently working on. 

“Okay, Brook Lynn, you can do this.” She told herself as she finally made her way inside and walked through the simple mix of hallways and staircases until she was standing next to a door that she thought she would never see again. She took one final deep breath before placing three light knocks on it. Something very out of the ordinary for her. Usually, whenever she was here, she was pounding relentlessly on it until he finally came to the door. 

She waited patiently for something, anything. Some indication that proved he still followed his grandpa-like tendencies and didn’t accidentally leave a light on when he left for work that morning. She glanced at Bob who stood there, a few paces down the hall, watching her every move. He didn’t seem to be worried. She could only take that as a good sign as she placed three more light knocks on the door. His apartment was small, there was no way he hadn’t heard them. And he was too much of a boy scout to ignore it, he would have to answer the door eventually. Even if it was just to see who it was before slamming the door in the unwanted visitor's face. She rocked back and forth on her heels as she waited, what felt like hours, for a response of some kind. She knocked one final time, this one much more loud and obnoxious than the ones before, and gave him thirty more seconds before she gave up and left. The longer she waited, the more she doubted whether she should even be there. Maybe things were better off as they were. Her coming here to talk to him would only further complicate matters. 

“Okay, I’m coming, I’m coming,” she heard him call out from the other side. She felt a nervous tingle in the pit of her stomach as she realized that there was no getting out of it now. She would have to go through with her original plan whether she wanted to or not. She heard the latch click as he opened the door and they found themselves face to face once again. Small beads of water scattered his face and a few of them dripped down onto his white tank top as he looked at her with a stunned expression, “Brook Lynn?” 

“Hey Chase,” she said, doing her best to sound friendly and nonchalant, “Can I come in?”

Chapter Text

The dish behind his door made its accustomed chime as Chase tossed his keys into it before sinking into his couch. Lately, this was all he could muster at the end of a long shift. Especially after the ones that were so boring they just dragged on and on with no end in sight. Usually, he would find an excuse to go out with his colleagues or meet up with friends for a drink to celebrate that he managed to get through it, but now all he longed for was a quiet night at home, never leaving his couch, and listening to music for hours on end. He wasn’t sure when or how it happened, but this was now his daily routine after work. Get home and turn on some music. Maybe it was because he had found it to be a great way to decompress and reduce his stress. or maybe it was because it was a way for him to still be connected to Brook Lynn. Her passion for music was contagious–there was no way that it wouldn’t rub off on him eventually. Thanks to her, he understood music more. It was no longer something that just played in the background or something he listened to pass the time. He truly got it now. He understood just how powerful it could be. 

He bit his lip as the thoughts crossed his mind. Even when he didn’t mean to, his thoughts still found their way to her. All paths seemed to lead to her these days. Snap out of it. He thought to himself as he turned his Bluetooth speaker on and then pulled out his phone. The last thing he needed was to fall down the Brook Lynn rabbit hole. The same one he had found himself in for the past few days; playing worst-case scenario and trying to figure out what she could possibly be running from. He still had no idea. All he knew was that every possibility he had ever come up with scared the living daylights out of him. And Brook Lynn refusing to talk to him about it earlier had only made matters worse. He knew that she wouldn’t come right out and tell him. That had never been her forte, but he still hoped that she wouldn’t push him away and sweep his concerns under the rug. But as flashes from that afternoon crossed his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if Brook Lynn running away from him had more to do with the undeniable spark that passed between them than with his pleading for her to tell him the truth. 

You need to stop. This is bordering on obsessive. But the music playing on the Bluetooth speaker had other plans. He had been listening to her discography endlessly ever since he learned the pseudonym she was publishing her songs under. And all of her songs seemed to fall under two categories: heartbreak and personal growth. He could barely make it through some of the heartbreak ones. He hated the fact that he probably served as the inspiration for many, if not all, of them. But the personal growth ones always made up for it. They brought a smile to his face every time they came on. Whether they were co-written with someone or entirely penned by her it didn’t matter, he was just happy that she was finally starting to realize just how great she was. But there was one song that he couldn’t place into either category and it so happened to be the one that was currently playing on his speaker. It was also the song that helped prove his theory about Brook Lynn being in some kind of trouble. And it was the kind of trouble that she didn’t know how to get out of. The whole song served as a metaphor for dealing with a problem with no end in sight. And while Brook Lynn didn’t usually write in metaphors, it made perfect sense for her to do it in this case. Not only did it make the song sound extremely country but it also allowed for no one listening to the song to truly know what, or who, it was about. 

It was smart but it also led to him having a million more questions. What was she running from? Why didn’t she feel comfortable enough to confide in him? And most importantly, why did she feel like she had to deal with all of this on her own? 

And as much as he wanted answers to those questions, he wanted to go back and repeat the events from that afternoon even more. There were so many things he would have done differently. He wouldn’t have confronted her the way he did. He would have tried to reason with her more. And he definitely would have closed the distance between them a hell of a lot sooner than he originally did. He wasn’t even thinking when he reached for her hand, or when his thumb started to graze her cheek, it was all instinct. So much time had passed and yet in those few minutes shared between them at Kelly’s, it felt like no time had passed at all. They were back to how they always used to be and Chase was certain that if Brook Lynn hadn’t pushed him away when she did that it wouldn’t have been long until his lips were on hers. Like the first time they kissed at the hospital, it was just second nature and the thought of going one more second without kissing her was unbearable. Especially when they were finally so close after spending so many months apart. 

If he was being honest, he was surprised that he was as level-headed and in control of his actions as he was during the whole ordeal. Being that close to her again. Being just mere inches away from her lips, and not doing anything about it, not even a little peck on her cheek or her forehead…Looking back he had no idea how he did it. Maybe it was the fact that Chase never wanted to be that guy. The one that went after any and everything they wanted without ever thinking twice. The one that didn’t let principles or morals stand in their way. They would do absolutely anything to get what they desired most, even if it wasn't theirs to begin with, and they didn’t care who might get hurt in the process. They only cared about themselves and whether or not they achieved their end goals.  

And yet Chase didn’t care. He didn’t care that Brook Lynn was with Bryce. He didn’t care about any repercussions that he could have faced. All he cared about was Brook Lynn and the one singular fact that he didn’t kiss her. And he knew that if he could go back and change things that would be way higher on the list than finding a different way to convince her to open up to him. Hell, maybe kissing her was what he needed to do in order for that to happen. 

Seriously, KNOCK IT OFF. Obsessing over something that didn’t happen wouldn’t help anyone. It wouldn’t give him answers. It wouldn’t help Brook Lynn with whatever problem she was facing. It would only cause him to have a restless night’s sleep and make tomorrow’s shift that much harder to get through. No, he had to distract himself. He had to think of something, anything else in order to clear his mind. And lucky for him, it was that time of year when there was a basketball game on almost every channel. It wouldn’t take long for him to get wrapped up in the adrenaline and excitement of it all and put the events of the afternoon behind him. He would never truly rest until he got to the bottom of this Brook Lynn ordeal, but it wouldn’t hurt to take a small break from his investigation. He had hit a dead end anyway. 

But before any of that could happen, he had to splash some water on his face and get his blood pumping. He knew himself too well. If he didn’t do this. If he didn’t find a way to shock his system into focusing on something else then he wouldn’t really let this Brook Lynn mystery go. And then he would spend another night going down that familiar rabbit hole of looking for anything that could possibly give him another lead. He shook his head, doing his best to push the thoughts to some dark crevice of his mind as he started toward the bathroom. It was a short walk, but it was long enough to come to the heartbreaking decision that maybe things had worked out for the best. Brook Lynn was happy, or at least it appeared that way, and he had his badge back. They seemed to have gotten what they both desperately wanted. And he had to live with that. As much as he hated to admit it, they just might be better off apart. 

And even if he did figure out what was troubling Brook Lynn, that didn’t mean that things would change. She had moved on and it was way past time that he did the same. Brook Lynn coming back to town was probably nothing more than a chance for the both of them to finally find some closure. And with that final thought, it was time to put Brook Lynn out of his mind for the rest of the night. He turned the sink on as cold as it would go and let the faucet run for a few minutes before finally splashing as much of it as he could onto his face. He repeated the process again and again until, finally, he was too distracted by the mess he had made to think about her. 

He reached for one of his towels and quickly ran it through his hair before surveying the scene in front of him. More water had fallen onto the floor than he would have liked and it was enough to cause a future tripping hazard if he didn’t clean it up soon. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at himself. Why did it seem like lately his go-to solutions made bigger problems than the ones they were supposed to solve? First, it was running into Brook Lynn anytime he was doing everything in his power to avoid her and now it was finding ways to possibly hurt himself, and the integrity of his apartment, in order to avoid thinking about her. All roads truly did lead to Brook Lynn whether he liked it or not. 

As he did his best to soak up the spilled water with his wet towel, he swore he heard a light tapping coming for the living room. Which he couldn’t help but find suspicious. What could it be? His TV wasn’t on and he had listened to Brook Lynn’s songs so many times that he basically had all of the key changes memorized. The only possible source was a disturbance of some kind in the hall, but what kind of disturbance would only result in a light tapping along the walls? All of his neighbors were pretty quiet and a few of them kept to themselves so much that he wouldn’t be able to recognize them if he passed them on a crowded street. Plus no one on his floor had kids, so it couldn’t be a bored immature neighbor playing a practical joke. Which meant that it was probably an animal of some kind or he was slowly going insane. 

Normally he would have laughed the assumption off but maybe there was actually something to it. Especially with how he had been acting lately, it would explain quite a lot. He heard the tapping again as he finished cleaning up and went to change his shirt. He didn’t have to, but he knew that the small amount of water that had dripped down onto his collar would be just enough to annoy him for the rest of the evening. He couldn’t help but scrunch his eyebrows as he threw the damp shirt into his hamper and grabbed a white tank top. The noise was strange and it was bugging him that he couldn’t place it. He had to investigate it more in-depth before he moved on with his evening. It might even end up being the perfect distraction that he needed all along. 

He walked slowly back to the living room, trying to find anything that might give him an idea of what the noise could be. A creak in the floorboards. A mouse stuck in the walls. Someone from a different floor causing havoc just because they could. All were perfect possibilities until he finally reached the living room and the sound of a fist pounding against his door was enough to settle the debate once and for all. It was clearly someone playing a practical joke on him. Maybe someone was finally paying him back for all of the times he had accidentally slammed his door over the past few days. 

He quickly threw on his tank top before he called out, “Okay, I’m coming. I’m coming.” He wasn’t sure why he said it. If it was a practical joke then the tormentor would be long gone. But if someone was actually there, then he had to give them some form of greeting. Some sort of sign that he wasn’t ignoring them. His father would never let him live it down if he didn’t. He opened his door even though he still wasn’t sure what to expect on the other side. If it was a practical joke, how would he react if the instigator was still there? Casual or annoyed? If it was a neighbor giving him a taste of his own medicine, what could he possibly do? He did deserve it after all. 

But never in his wildest dreams would he have expected what was actually awaiting him on the other side of the door. “Brook Lynn?” 

She gave him a small smile as she looked up at him with her soft and hypnotic brown eyes, “Hey Chase, can I come in?” 

He blinked a few times to make sure that she was really there and this wasn’t a hallucination. He wasn’t sure if he could fully trust the image in front of him. He had dreamed of this so many times over the past year that it was hard for him to believe that this wasn’t another one. “Chase? Earth to Chase? Are you okay?” Brook Lynn asked, waving her hand back and forth in order to get his attention.

“Um yeah,” he said as his cop instincts took over. Brook Lynn was definitely there. She was acting extremely nervous. And that could only mean one thing: she wasn’t there to talk about how they almost kissed earlier. She was there to confide in him. To finally answer all the questions that had preoccupied him for the past few days. He quickly scanned the hallway until he found Bob a few paces behind her. He felt relief wash over him as he nodded his head slightly in Bob’s direction. 

“Sorry, I must have spaced out for a minute,” he started, turning his attention back to Brook Lynn, “come on in. Bob can join us if you want.” 

She shook her head as she briefly turned to face Bob and gave him a hand signal of some kind, probably to tell him to stay where he was. “Actually, I think it would be better if it was just the two of us. Is that alright?”

He nodded and bit his lip. Of course, that was okay. She would be more willing to open up to him if they didn’t have an audience. He just wasn’t sure if he could trust himself, especially with the thoughts that he had been having about her lately. “Yeah, that’s fine,” he said as he stepped aside to give her more room. 

As she entered, he wasn’t sure if it was done deliberately or if it was just an accident, but he felt her hand brush against his and all of the sparks and feelings from earlier came rushing back. This isn’t the time or the place for that. He thought as he took a calming breath and closed his door, allowing for them to finally be alone. 

He took a few minutes to study her. Looking for anything that might help him determine what had happened to get her to change her mind. She was fidgeting with some of her rings, her eyes were staring holes into his floor, and she bounced lightly from one foot to the other, almost like she was unsure of where to go or what to do next. He took a small step toward her as he asked, “Are you okay?”

“Uh yeah,” she replied absentmindedly as she walked over to his window and peered through his blinds, probably to avoid making eye contact with him, “I had some time to think about our conversation from earlier and you deserve to know the truth. So I came here because you should hear this from me and not have to uncover it yourself…But the problem is now that I’m here, I don’t know how to begin.” 

“You can start at the beginning,” he said as he crossed his arms across his chest, more out of self-preservation than out of anything else. 

“Okay,” she started as she turned back toward him and took a deep breath, “I think I need a drink first.” 

He nodded as he made his way to the little kitchenette he had turned into a mini bar years ago, “Uh, why don’t you take a seat and I’ll get you something. I got a really interesting wine recently that I think you’ll–”

“Yeah, wine won’t cut it,” Brook Lynn interrupted as she sat down on the couch, “Do you have anything stronger?” 

“I also have beer and bourbon, but that’s about it.” 

She nodded her head quickly as she replied, “Bourbon will work, in fact, that sounds perfect.” 

He watched her carefully as he got out two glasses and started to fill them with the familiar brown liquor. She leaned forward slightly and placed her arms on her thighs. Her head was bent and he could only imagine what she was thinking about. There was so much he wanted to do to comfort her, there was so much that he wanted to ask her, but he wasn’t sure if any of that would help her at the present moment. “Do you want ice?” he asked, hoping it would distract her somehow. 

“No, I can drink it neat,” she mumbled as she sat up slightly and absentmindedly went back to fidgeting with her rings. Chase approached her slowly, doing his best not to spook her as he placed the drink in front of her and then sat in his armchair closest to the door. He watched as she took the glass and drank about half of it in one gulp before she turned to face him again. “Okay, I think I’m ready.” 

“I’m not going to rush you Brook Lynn, or force you to share anything you don’t want to,” he started as he leaned toward her and let his glass join hers on the coffee table, “I’m just going to sit here and listen. So whenever you feel comfortable, you have my attention.” 

She nodded as she took another drink, a smaller sip this time, “Before I get into all of it, I need you to know that leaving Port Charles and moving to Nashville had nothing to do with you.”

But it sure felt that way. He thought as he took another sip of his drink. He knew better than to say those words out loud. It would only make her feel guilty and that was the last thing he wanted to do. She was finally feeling like she could trust him again, at least with whatever this was, and he didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. “But it had something to do with Linc, didn’t it?” 

She froze, staring at him in disbelief as she held her glass closer to her chest. In that moment, she reminded him of a deer caught in someone’s headlights: fragile and spooked. “How did you–”

“Aren’t you the one who once called me a super smart detective?” he joked as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he did, “And that’s the only explanation that makes any sense. Why else would you leave town without saying goodbye? Now we were broken up and I was being so unfair to you so I get why you wouldn’t want to say goodbye to me. But to not say goodbye to your dad and Olivia? To Leo? To Maxie and Bailey? It didn’t add up.” 

“You’re right. When I left Port Charles, I had every notion of returning but then–”

“Then what?”

He watched as she looked over at him with optimistic and tense eyes before she grabbed her glass and downed what was left of it, “Then Linc happened.”

The liquid courage must have finally kicked in because she proceeded to tell him the whole story. By the way everything rattled off her tongue, it was easy for him to tell that she wasn’t holding anything back. She was telling him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. As grateful as he was that she trusted him enough to finally come clean, he found himself getting more and more agitated by the second. After listening to her songs, he had no doubt that Linc was somewhat responsible for her abrupt departure, but as he learned exactly how right he was, it became extremely hard to keep the anger at bay. He hated the rage that was boiling inside, especially since it was very close to taking over, but the worst part was that he wasn’t exactly sure who the rage was directed toward: at Linc for manipulating Brook Lynn and then running her out of town or at himself for putting her in that position in the first place. 

“You’re mad.”

“No I’m not,” he replied while shaking his head and glaring down at his coffee table.

“You don’t need to lie to me Chase, I’m a big girl, I can take it.” 

“Okay fine. You’re right, I’m mad Brook Lynn,” 

“At me.”

“No. At me,” he replied as he leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling, “I knew something was off after our meeting with him at Kelly’s but I was too distracted by what Dante had just told me that I didn’t act on it. I should have forced the issue more.”

“Don’t do that Chase,” Brook Lynn started as she moved to the other side of the couch so she could be closer to him, “Don’t blame yourself. There’s no way you could have known that this was Linc’s plan. And I initially only told him I would go along with it so he would let us leave, I had every intention to find a way out of it.” 

“Until you didn’t.” 

“Yeah, but you have to realize, by that time I didn’t care. I didn’t care about the repercussions. I didn’t care that I was essentially letting Linc buy my silence, I just wanted the whole thing to be over.” 

“I realize that and I can even understand why you did it,” he replied as he leaned slightly forward, “to a point.” 

“Come on Chase,” Brook Lynn started, “do you seriously think that I didn’t want to tell you about what was going on?” 

“It sure seems that way,” he added as he looked down at his hands, doing everything he could not to look at her. He wasn’t sure what he would do if he did. He hated feeling this conflicted and angry. Now that he knew the truth, he wasn’t sure if he could ever look at Brook Lynn, or himself, the same way again. “If you wanted to tell me so badly then why didn’t you? And why didn’t you return any of my messages after Layla took over as my manager?”

“Because I was ashamed…and conflicted. Plus it was too late. There was nothing else I could do but run. Ma and Layla said it was the only way to get out of the interview and I believed them,” She started as a few tears started to roll down her cheeks, “besides I knew that I would fold if I called you and then everything they did to ensure I didn’t have to abide by the NDA would’ve been for nothing.” 

“But a part of you must have known that I would’ve gone along with it. Kept the lie going in order to keep you safe.” 

“Maybe, but Chase I wasn’t in the mindset to think critically or listen to any logic. I barely realized what Layla and Ma were up to until everything was settled. I was too preoccupied with the fact that I was back in a position where Linc had all of the control. But this time it wasn’t my career he was holding hostage…it was yours.” 

“Mine?” 

She nodded as she took a deep breath and pushed some hair behind her ears, “He hinted that he would make it impossible for your career as a singer, or a detective for that matter, to take off if I didn’t cooperate. That’s why I agreed to it in the first place. Then we broke up and you couldn’t stand being in the same room as me. But you agreed to continue with the scheme until I got my songs back…that’s when I decided that it wasn’t worth it anymore. Linc had already presented me with an opportunity to regain ownership of my songs, so I took it. I signed that NDA so you could stop singing and finally get your life back.

“But once Linc gave my name to that reporter, it all became too real. It was one thing to know that I could never come forward or corroborate what other victims had to say. But the fact that he was doing everything he could to ensure I helped create a counternarrative for him was another thing entirely. I could no longer live in denial thinking that I was Linc’s only victim. I couldn’t continue to be naive and assume that I would never have to say nice things about him in the press. And I definitely couldn’t plaster a fake smile across my face in order to go through with the interview and let that smarmy bastard win. I would never be able to live with myself if I did.” 

“And I don’t blame you for that. Hell, I don’t even blame you for signing the NDA,” He started as he reached for her hand and gave it a light squeeze, “but I can’t stop thinking about something Layla told me. When I wouldn’t stop badgering her about why you left, she told me that I needed to let it go. She said that I was treating everything like it was a matter of life and death and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. But I was right, wasn’t I?”

“What do you mean?”

“Brook Lynn, you had to leave Port Charles and everyone you love in order to start over somewhere else. And you’ve been constantly looking over your shoulder, waiting for Linc to show up ever since. And what happens if he ever does? What will you do? Will you have to go through this all over again?”

“It’s not that bad Chase,” Brook Lynn added. She did her best to appear calm as she wiped away a few stray tears but they both knew that she was lying through her teeth.

Chase gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and was silent for a few minutes before he did his best to reason to her. “It’s not that bad? Brook Lynn, it’s so bad that your mom asked Sonny to look after you while you’re back in town. And what exactly would you be doing during this visit if she never did that? Hiding at the Quartermaines?”

A small smile escaped her lips as she joked, “You have no idea how tempting that sounds.” 

“But is it really any way to live?” He waited for her to respond and couldn’t help but watch her carefully when she didn’t. She was looking down at her lap and using her free hand to play with the fringe on one of his pillows. He hated seeing her this way. So small and agitated. It was like she was only a fraction of the tough, independent city girl with a spitfire personality and heart of gold that he couldn’t help but fall in love with. He knelt down in front of her, making it next to impossible for her to look anywhere that wasn’t at him, as he continued, “I’m going to be completely honest here. I’m worried about you Brook Lynn. I understand that you’ve made a new life for yourself in Nashville, but do you really think that’s the best place for you?”

“What are you trying to say?” 

“You’re constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering when or if Linc will finally track you down, right?” He waited for her to nod and confirm his theory before he continued, “So isn’t it better for you to stay here? Or with your mom in Bensonhurst? That way you’re at least around people who care about you and can support you if he ever returns?” 

“Maybe,” Brook Lynn shrugged, “but the whole reason I moved to Nashville in the first place was to make it impossible for him to find me. That’s why I use a pseudonym when I sell my songs. That’s why I switched genres. There should be no reason for our paths to ever cross unless…”

“Unless what?” 

“Unless one of his artists decides to crossover or record a duet with a country artist. Which sometimes happens, but knowing Linc, he would never agree to it. Plus there’s no way any radio station in Nashville would play a song he tried to produce. He’s too dependent on techno beats and shallow lyrics, two things country music fans highly frown upon.”

“Okay, but what if that does eventually happen? What if you accidentally run into him in the future? What then? What will you do?”

“I’m going to hope that it never comes down to that.” 

“But what if it does, Brook Lynn?”

“What do you want me to say, Chase? This is the way things have to be. I just have to assume that Linc doesn’t care about me anymore. As far as he’s concerned, he’s won. I’m no longer a problem. And even if he figured out I broke the NDA, the only way he can prove it is by taking me to court. Which we both know will never happen.”

Chase couldn’t help but nod. Linc was a lot of things, but he wasn’t stupid. If he sued Brook Lynn for breach of contract, there would be no way he could prove it without admitting to being the disgusting pig that he was. And there was absolutely no way in hell that he was okay with that. “You’re right, but what if he decides to come after you anyway? We both know how prideful he is. What if he’s mad that you bested him? What if he comes back and doesn’t take no for an answer this time?”

“I can’t afford to think like that,” she replied as she removed her hand from his and moved to the opposite side of the couch. 

He hated playing devil’s advocate, but someone had to do it. He was still annoyed by the position Brook Lynn found herself in and wished that things could be different. But he was also terrified for her. He couldn’t spend the rest of his life knowing that Linc could come back at any moment seeking revenge. Especially if Brook Lynn was hundreds of miles away from Port Charles, away from her family, and away from him, when it finally happened. “And that’s exactly why I’m asking you about this. Wouldn’t you rather find a way to make sure that never happens instead of living with the possibility that one day it could?” 

She nodded as she made some room for him to join her, “Trust me, I’ve thought about it. I’ve even spent countless hours pouring over that contract trying to find anything I could use against him if he ever tries to come after me, especially if he ever decides to take me to court. But it’s worded so meticulously that it’s impossible to find a loophole. I’m pretty sure the only thing that would work would be giving him my songs back.”

He nodded before taking her hand again and lightly brushing his thumb over her knuckles. He was afraid of that. Of course, the only way for Brook Lynn to get out of this position would be to give back the thing she cared about most. If they were having this conversation a year ago, he would have told her to do it. To give back her songs and finally move on with her life. Linc would no longer be a problem, he could be a cop again, and she could always write new songs to replace her old ones. But Chase knew better now. Those songs were Brook Lynn’s through and through. Each one held a little piece of her heart and soul. They were hers and hers alone. No one else should have a say about what happened to them except her.

“I’d be okay with that actually,” she replied.

His eyes traveled from her hand to her face so fast that he was surprised he didn’t strain any muscles in his neck. He could end up paying for it in the morning but he didn’t care. There was absolutely no way she just said what he thought she did. For all intents and purposes, she was free of Linc. Her music was fully under her control and as long as Linc never tried to come after her for revenge, it would probably always remain that way. Hell, maybe she was even right about him wanting nothing to do with her now that he had essentially bought her silence. 

“You can’t be serious!”

“Look, I’m glad that I got them back and I regret the fact that I had to sign an NDA for it to happen. But, I can’t honestly say that I would do things differently if I could go back and redo the past year,” Brook Lynn started as she turned her attention to the coffee table and the two empty glasses in front of them. Making it seem like she was having the rest of the conversation with herself rather than with him, “Hell if I could only redo the moment when Linc first proposed this deal, I don’t think I’d change my decision. Which is selfish, I know. But I think I had to go through this, all of it, to realize what is really important in my life. And as much as I love those songs, it’s not like I’m ever going to do anything with them. Not only would selling them put me back on Linc’s radar…but it feels like I bought them with blood money. If I did sell them then all the guilt and shame would come rushing back every time I heard them. The only silver lining that comes with owning them is that Linc can’t sell them for dog food or paper towel commercials but…”

“But?”

She raised her head and looked in his direction, allowing him to gaze deeply into her breathtaking brown eyes once more. She had tears pooling in the corners of them. A sight he had seen more times than he would have liked, but there was something different about this time. In the past, this sight was fueled by an event that made her feel guilty or hurt somehow. This time she didn’t seem down in the dumps or like she was beating herself up over something that was out of her control. No, this time, it almost seemed like she was hopeful about her future and what it could entail. “If giving up those songs means that I would be free from constantly looking over my shoulder and wondering whether Linc will figure everything out and then come to Nashville to track me down…I would do it in a heartbeat.”

“Are you sure?” 

She nodded as she slipped her hand out his and started to search around the room for her purse, “Yeah I am. But it’s not that easy. There are so many other things to consider. Like how giving him the songs back would remind him about how I didn’t hold up my end of the deal and he could still come after me. But then again, so would coming forward anonymously about what he did to me.” 

“Have you been considering that?” 

She nodded again as she brushed some more hair behind her ears, “Yeah. The NDA is already broken and I came to this decision a long time ago. If Blaze or one of Linc’s other victims ever come forward, I’ll corroborate everything. And hopefully, that will make it easier for others to do the same. It’s not much, but it’s at least a start.”

“A start to what?” 

“To make up for this whole mess, for ever agreeing to work with him in the first place.”

“Oh,” he replied while looking down. He couldn’t help it. He refused to let her see how much her words had affected him. Even after all this time. After all those songs she had written about maturing and accepting herself for who she is, flaws and all, there was still a little piece of her that believed she was to blame for everything. A part of her that still didn’t understand how amazing she was or that she deserved to be happy just as much as everyone else.

“I should get going,” She said as she stood up and tried to make her way to the door for a quick getaway, “I have definitely overstayed my welcome.”

“What?”

“But now you know the truth, so you can stop worrying and focus all of your attention on more important matters,” she continued, completely oblivious to his earlier objection. “Also, I completely understand if you no longer want to be friends and go back to hating me.” 

Brook Lynn–”

She put her hands up to cut him off as she took a deep breath, “Don’t Brook Lynn me and save the lecture. What I did was selfish, there’s no argument there. But there’s no use dredging up the past. What’s done is done and that fact won’t change. We can only move forward. And the good news is that we finished filming Bryce’s video today, so I’ll be back in Nashville before we know it. Then we’ll never have to see each other again and it’ll be like I was never here to begin with.” 

He couldn’t hide the hurt in his voice as he asked, “Is that really what you think I want?” 

“Isn’t it?” she replied just above a whisper, the sadness in her voice on full display.

“Just the opposite,” he answered as he took a step toward her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He couldn’t help but notice how similar it felt to earlier that afternoon. He gulped as the thoughts crossed his mind again, that was the absolute last thing he should be thinking about. Especially after Brook Lynn just confessed about everything she had been going through over the past year. Neither of them was in the right mindset to focus on anything other than Brook Lynn’s safely. That, and it would only complicate matters more if he did the one thing he had desired most since learning Brook Lynn was back in town. “Brook Lynn, how could I possibly want anything other than for you to be safe?”

“Which I am,” she replied, crossing her arms protectively across her chest, “in Nashville.”

“In Nashville,” he repeated as he trailed his finger down her arm before taking a small step backward, allowing her to have as much space as she needed, “Are you sure about that? Being there all alone, away from your family. Away from…everyone who cares about you?”

“I’m not alone. I have Bryce. And Caitlyn. And the rest of their friend group that has accepted me with open arms. Not to mention all of the new songwriters I’ve met who are quickly becoming friends as well.” 

“Okay, I get it,” Chase started as he also wrapped his arms protectively over his chest, “You have a brand new life down there and–”

“And what?”

He took a deep breath before looking up to meet her eyes, “And you seem to be really happy, but I need to say one more thing before you go.” 

“Okay, what’s that?” she whispered as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“I know it’s not my place,” he started as he tightened his grip around his biceps. As much as he hated that he was the one to say it, he knew that it was something she needed to hear. He wanted her to be safe. And he wanted her to be happy. If doing this saved her from future heartbreak, then it was well worth it. Even if it would tear him apart while doing so. “But don’t you think Bryce deserves to know the truth?”

“What?” 

“He doesn’t know the real reason why you decided to move there right?” 

“Right. Only Ma and Layla know…and now you.” 

“But shouldn’t Bryce know as well?” he started as he reached out for both of her hands, “He knows something is up Brook Lynn. And he’s not pushing you on it, but I can tell that he’s worried. And we know that keeping secrets from the person you’re in a relationship with never ends well.” 

“Wait,” she added, taking a step back, her hands falling out of his grasp as she did, “You think Bryce and I are dating?”

“Aren’t you?” he wondered as he slipped his hands into his pockets and looked down at the floor. He already knew the answer, he had seen it with his own eyes on multiple different occasions, but he still couldn’t stomach the idea of watching her face light up when she confirmed the news to him.

“No,” she replied as she pulled her purse strap higher onto her shoulder, “We’re just friends.”

“Oh,” he added, unsure of what else to say but knowing that he had to say something to fill the void. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. He was happy to hear that she wasn’t with Bryce, but he had seen how the two of them acted around each other and it wasn’t what he would describe as friendly. Brook Lynn might not see Bryce in that way but there was no doubt in Chase’s mind that Bryce did. He bit his lip as he realized that he was watching history repeat itself. How many times had Finn, his father, and even Maxie given him the same exact reaction when he claimed the same thing? That he and Brook Lynn were just friends and that everyone was seeing something that wasn’t there. Even though it was clear as day that there was a spark between the two of them. Which was why it hadn’t taken him long to realize that the same thing was happening between Brook Lynn and Bryce. “I just assumed that was the case, especially since he’s so protective around you.” 

“Yeah,” Brook Lynn laughed, a small smile spreading across her face as she did, “he must be a glutton for punishment or something. But then again, he’s the same way about Caitlyn…”

“Got it, that’s just how he is but Brook Lynn, do you trust him?”

“Yeah, there’s only a few people I fully trust to keep me safe and Bryce is definitely one of them.” 

“Then don’t you think he needs to know about this? Especially since you won’t have Bob when you return to Nashville?” Chase wondered as he took a small step in her direction, “He should at least know who Linc is so he can be on the lookout for him whenever you go out. Or so you’ll feel more comfortable going to events that support your songs.” 

“He told you about that?” 

He nodded as the guilt spread across his face and he quickly explained, “Yeah, I ran into him at Volonino’s the other night and it kind of came out.” 

“He didn’t mention it,” she whispered as she glanced toward the door and played with her purse strap once again, “I’ll think about it, okay? You make a good point but tonight has been…a lot and I’m not sure if I’m ready to tell anyone else the whole story just yet.” 

“And that’s completely understandable. Just know that your secret is safe with me. If anyone asks, I’ll tell them the original story. No one will know the real reason you left Port Charles unless you’re the one who’s telling them.” 

“Thank you, Chase,” she said as she closed the distance between them and pulled him in for a hug. He was shocked at her forwardness but he wasn’t sure why. This was Brook Lynn’s M.O. She always spoke her mind and wasn’t afraid to show others how she really felt at any given moment. And in his case, she was never afraid to do exactly this, pull him close and sink into his embrace. He leaned down and rested his head on her shoulder, and he couldn’t help but think back to all of the other hugs they shared as he did. Just like earlier today, it felt like no time had passed between them. Like it was only yesterday that they were scheming together in the Quartermaine kitchen or enjoying a date night at the Metro Court pool. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought back on those times and all of the other wonderful memories he shared with her. He would spend the rest of his life wrapped in her arms if he could. 

“Not a problem,” he added as he rubbed his hand reassuringly across her back before she stepped out of the embrace sooner than he would have liked. She gave him a soft smile as she got ready to leave, “Oh, and Brook Lynn. Just so you know. I have never and will never hate you. It’s not possible.”

She let out a little laugh as she opened his door, “Good to know. Bye Chase.” 

“Bye Brook Lynn,” he said as he watched her exit his apartment. He had to do everything in his power not to pinch himself in order to prove that this wasn’t a dream. He still couldn’t believe all the events that had happened over the past 24 hours. He finally had his answers, but he wasn’t sure how he felt now that he knew the truth. Somehow it was even worse than he imagined. And the worst part was that there was nothing he could do about it. He could only support Brook Lynn as best he could. But that didn’t stop the fears from flooding his system. Would she be okay once she returned to Nashville? And more importantly, was he really ready to never see her again? 

He hoped that wouldn’t be the case and that this visit would prove she could return to Port Charles every now and then to see her family. As long as she was careful and Sonny was willing to loan Bob out whenever she visited, then she could come back whenever she wanted, right? But even if that turned out to be the case, it didn’t mean that he would be on the list of people she wanted to see. And he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to be on that list. Because if she ever did return to Port Charles, he had no doubt in his mind that Bryce would return with her. Except that time they would actually be in a relationship. It was already bad enough assuming she had moved on with someone new and having to live with that fact as best he could. He wasn’t sure if he could go through it again when it actually became a reality. 

He didn’t even realize what he was doing until his hand was hovering over the doorknob. He didn’t remember crossing the living room or what exactly had gotten into him. All he knew was he didn’t want that to be his last interaction with her. There was no way their story was going to end like that. He paused, only for a brief moment, as his hand firmly braced the doorknob. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, or even what he was going to say, but he knew he had to act and he had to act fast. Whether it was some long elaborate speech or he just rambled at her, he had to tell her everything that was on his mind. And even if it didn’t change anything between them, he still had to take a shot. It was better than taking no shot at all. It was like what he told her at her family picnic a few years ago: We miss 100% of the shots that we don’t take. 

“Brook Lynn,” he called out as he threw the door open and looked up and down his hallway in anticipation. His blood was coursing through his veins as he tried desperately to search for her. But it was no use, she was already gone. 

Chapter Text

“Now?” 

“Yes, now’s perfect,” Brook Lynn answered as she handed Leo a spatula, “See how all the bubbles have popped? That’s how we know it’s time to flip it.”

“Okay,” he replied as he did his best to slide the spatula under the pancake without breaking it. Brook Lynn couldn’t help but smile as she watched her little brother’s face light up once he turned it over and realized that the other side was a perfect golden brown, “I did it!”

“You’re right, you did! And you were amazing! You better be careful or the cook will think you’re coming after his job.”

Leo’s eyes grew wide as he stepped away from the stove, “I don’t want that. I really like him.”

“I know. Besides that won’t happen,” Brook Lynn added as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before leading him back to the stove, “I just said that because you are quickly becoming a pancake master. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cook decided to enlist you to help with Sunday breakfast from now on.”

“Oh. You’ll help too, right?”

She paused as his words started to sink in. Her visit to Port Charles was almost over and everyone in the house realized it except Leo. As far as he was concerned, she was back to stay and she didn’t know how to tell him otherwise. She couldn’t find the right words for the life of her–even though it should be fairly easy at this point. Especially after all the difficult conversations she had been having with her loved ones lately. Coming clean about everything that had happened over the past year was challenging but well worth it in the long run. Not only did Chase finally know the truth but so did her father and Olivia. And just like when the truth about Bailey came out, instead of being mad or ashamed, they were all amazed at how brave she was. That wasn’t her intention for telling them, but it was still nice to hear from others that she had done the right thing. Or that they at least understood why she believed it was her only option. “Um, I think we’ll have to wait and see about that.” 

“Wait and see about what?” Olivia asked as she entered the kitchen followed closely by Bryce, “And what’s that smell? Pancakes?”

“Yeah! Brook Lynn’s teaching me how to make them!” Leo exclaimed as he ran toward his mother, causing Brook Lynn to take over before any of the pancakes had a chance to burn. 

“Well, that’s nice of Brook Lynn! I bet you really enjoy having your sister home!”

Leo nodded, causing Brook Lynn to smile before she added, “Hey buddy, since we’re almost done, why don’t I make you a plate? Then we can find out if these are as delicious as they look.” 

“Okay!” Leo replied as he joined Brook Lynn again as she placed two pancakes and a few pieces of fruit onto his plate before he excitedly bounded out of the room.

“Now where exactly do you think you’re going?” Olivia called after him.

“To show Dad!”

“Olivia, would you like some?” Brook Lynn asked between laughs, “What about you Bryce?”

“It depends. Are they chocolate chip?”

Brook Lynn shook her head as she removed the remaining pancakes from the griddle, “No. Even though you might love a little extra sugar with your breakfast, I’m sure that’s the last thing Olivia wants.”

“Hey, don’t drag me into this!” Olivia interjected as she leaned back against one of the side counters.

“Well then did you at least use my recipe?”

“To the letter,” Brook Lynn replied as she smirked at him and handed him a full plate before making one for Olivia.

Bryce grabbed one of the pancakes with his bare hand and took a large bite, making a mixture of mmm and nom nom sounds as he did. Olivia watched on and couldn’t help but laugh at the entire interaction. The two of them had been in town for a little over a week and she couldn’t help but be reminded about how much Bryce resembled a cartoon character. Especially when he acted in ways such as this. “These are delicious! But I don’t know how I feel about you sharing trade secrets with your brother.”

“Knock it off,” Brook Lynn added as she lightly elbowed him in the side, “Adding milk, vanilla, and a little honey to a box mix is anything but a trade secret.”

“Hey!”

“Hey yourself. And trust me, even if it was, no one in this house is going to steal it. They either have their own recipes they can use or they will just wait until the next time the cook decides to make pancakes.”

“So this is how the other half lives,” Bryce joked as he took a fork from Brook Lynn and made his way to the table, “Must be nice.” 

“I knew I would regret bringing you here. What made you stop by anyway? I thought we were meeting up at the hotel later for lunch.” She wondered as she joined him at the table with a plate of her own.

“We are, but getting to see how much of a whiz you are in the kitchen is way better. It’s nice to see that my lessons are paying off.”

“Lessons?” Olivia wondered, raising her eyebrows inquisitively as she did, “You tried to teach her how to cook?”

Bryce smiled confidently as Brook Lynn turned her attention to her stepmother, “Why are you acting so surprised? You out of all people should know that I’m not terrible when it comes to cooking. If anything, I’m just out of practice.” 

“I’m just surprised that you were willing to learn from anyone who wasn’t your Grandma Gloria, that’s all.” 

“Not as surprised as I was. Especially after all the hell he went through trying to teach me how to play guitar.”

“But you got it eventually,” Bryce added as he pushed his empty plate off to the side, “Besides, you can’t live in Tennessee and not know how to fry catfish, it just ain’t right.”

“So you teaching her how to make pancakes was just a precursor to bigger and better things?” 

“Exactly, I had to know what I was working with,” Bryce joked while Brook Lynn crinkled her nose and gave him a hmph in retort, “It’s always best to start with the basics.”

“Oh yeah and how did she do?” 

“Olivia!”

“What? I can’t help it, I’m intrigued. I haven’t seen you cook since we made risotto al vino for Dante and Lulu way back when.”

“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds fancy!” Bryce said as he focused his attention solely on Brook Lynn, “You never told me you could cook like that. What else are you hiding from me, Smalls?”

Brook Lynn laughed and gave him a playful slap on the arms while Olivia asked, “Smalls?”

“It’s the nickname his friend group gave me after Bryce took me under his wing and showed me around Nashville,” Brook Lynn explained as she got up and took Bryce’s plate, “It’s from a movie they all used to watch growing up.” 

“One of the greatest movies ever!”

“Oh yeah? Then how come I’d never heard of it?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and smiling teasingly at him. 

Bryce smirked back at her as he put his hands on his hips and said, “Well, we’ll have to change that, now won’t we.”

“I guess we will. It looks like we found what we’ll be watching during our next movie night with Caitlyn.

Before Bryce could respond they all heard Dillon’s booming voice call out: “Bryce! There you are! I got a rough cut of the video done last night and I think you’re going to love it. Come on, let’s go to the den and check it out.”

“Dillon, don’t you at least want to have some breakfast first?” Olivia wondered as Dillon jogged into the room and joined the three of them.

“There’s plenty of time for that later!” Dillon replied as he pulled out his phone, “I only have a few more hours to work on this before I need to catch my flight back to LA. So this needs to take priority.”

“Wait, you're leaving so soon?” Bryce asked.

“What did you expect?” Brook Lynn added, “We finished the video. Shouldn’t we be heading back soon as well? I mean I have writing sessions to get back to and you have to record your album.” 

“Yes, that’s true but,” Bryce started, turning toward Brook Lynn as he did, “I was kind of thinking that we could stay a couple of extra days. So you can spend some more time catching up with your friends and family. And before we leave, I think it would be really cool to perform for everyone again.” 

“You want to have a concert in Port Charles?” Brook Lynn asked in disbelief. 

“Yeah as a way to say thank you for being so accommodating and accepting me as one of Port Charles' own. What do you think?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Olivia started as she walked over to the two of them and gave Bryce a light pat on the back, “Don’t you think so Brook Lynn?”

“Of course, I just don’t know who we would get to throw it all together. Especially with it being so last minute.”

Bryce bit his lip and shrugged as he rested his hand on the small of her back, “I was kind of hoping you would do it. You know this town best after all.” 

“I’m not so sure–” Brook Lynn started before Olivia cut her off. 

“You know what, Brook Lynn is the perfect person for this. And Maxie and I can help her if needed. We basically perfected putting events together last minute after we only had 24 hours to plan Michael and Willow’s wedding last year.” 

“Okay fine, I’ll do it,” Brook Lynn added, causing a smile the size of Texas to spread across Bryce’s face. “And we can talk about what exactly that will entail later but right now you need to join Dillon before his head explodes.” 

“I heard that!” They heard Dillion exclaim from the hallway. 

“You were meant to!”

Bryce couldn’t help but laugh as he wondered, “Are you sure you two are uncle and niece? You act more like siblings or even cousins.”

“It’s a Quartermaine thing,” Brook Lynn shrugged as she looked down at the counter and smiled. 

Bryce couldn’t help but mirror her smile as he added, “That sounds like a plan, but I know that whatever you come up with, it will be awesome!”

“You say that now,” Brook Lynn said sarcastically under her breath while Bryce went to join Dillion and Olivia followed him with her eyes before she turned back toward her stepdaughter with an eager expression, “What?”

“You know what. Come on spill. What’s really going on between you two?” 

Brook Lynn couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she absentmindedly started to clean up around her, “Olivia, I already told you. Bryce and I are just friends, nothing more.” 

“Could’ve fooled me.” 

“Really Olivia, not you too.” 

“Me too?” Olivia wondered, “Who else has asked you about this? No wait, don’t tell me. Because anyone with eyes can tell that there’s something else going on here.” 

“And they’re all wrong.”

“Are you sure about that?” Olivia continued as she started to help Brook Lynn put the unused dishes away, something the two of them used to do all of the time back in the old neighborhood. “Because you’ve spent almost every waking minute with him since you’ve been back. The two of you have practically been joined at the hip. Now, I get that he’s new to town and all, but even friends who have known each other all their lives don’t hang out as much as you two do.”

“But you seem to be forgetting one crucial detail. Bryce isn’t here for a visit. He’s here to shoot a music video and in order for us to get Dillon to direct it, he requested that I help out on set.”

“That’s true and you can use that video shoot as an excuse all you want but that doesn’t explain all of the extra time you’ve been spending with him when you were supposed to be here with your family instead. And we both know why that is.”

Brook Lynn couldn’t help but roll her eyes again as she turned toward her stepmother and crossed her arms across her chest, “We do? Why don’t you enlighten me then?” 

“It sounds like I hit a nerve,” Olivia started, “But I’m going to tell you this anyway. There are at least two reasons and the first one is that you’re spending all this time with Bryce so you can avoid running into anyone who will grill you about Chase.”

“What about him?” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Olivia added as she placed her hands on her hips and gave her stepdaughter a knowing look, “How about the fact that the two of you clearly still have feelings for each other.”

Brook Lynn did her best to laugh it off as she started to clean the counter, “Yeah sure Olivia. In what universe?”

“This one. You seem to be forgetting that I was there when you first ran into him after you got back to town and honey, you cut the romantic tension with a knife.”

“There was nothing romantic about it,” Brook Lynn added as she opened the fridge and stared at its contents absentmindedly, “It was awkward, no doubt about that. But that was because we hadn’t seen each other in a while, but now it’s…better. We talked things out and decided to be friends again. It’s all good.” 

“Now why do I find that so hard to believe?” 

She couldn’t help but shrug as she turned her attention back to Olivia, “Maybe because you like seeing stuff that isn’t there.”

“Okay then answer me this. When you talked things through with Chase did you tell him everything?”

“Yeah,” Brook Lynn answered while she tucked some hair behind her ears, “That was actually what prompted me to tell you and Dad the truth.”

“And while I’m grateful for that. I’m more interested in how it went. How did Chase react?”

“He was mad but he said he understood why I did what I did.”

Olivia couldn’t help but notice the change in her stepdaughter’s disposition. She went from joking and being cheerful to instead being quiet and guilt-ridden. “And I’m assuming that you were expecting something else?”

“I’m not sure,” Brook Lynn started as the two of them sat down at the table, “I don’t really know what I was expecting. I just knew that he deserved to know the truth and if he hated me afterwards so be it. But before I left, he said that was impossible.” 

“See, what did I tell you? He still likes you.”

“More like he saw Bob and jumped to the worst-case scenario.” 

“But he wasn’t that far off.” 

“Because he’s a really good guy and one of the PCPD’s best,” Brook Lynn started as she stared off into the distance, trying to think about anything that wasn’t Chase-related. But she knew that if they stayed on this topic, it wouldn’t be long until all she was able to focus on was Chase and what it felt like to hold his hand again. Or how much she had missed his thumb grazing across her cheek and his breath tickling against her lips. She shook her head, doing her best to push aside the images that had invaded her dreams over the past few nights. “What’s the second reason?”

“What?”

“You said there were two reasons for why I was spending all of my time with Bryce. The first was so I could avoid the Chase conversation, what’s the second?”

“The second,” Olivia added as she leaned forward and started to examine her stepdaughter very carefully, “is because there’s something more happening between the two of you and you think none of us have caught on. But guess what, honey, we have.”

“You have?” 

“We all have. You two can barely go two seconds without being near the other, sweetie everyone in Port Charles knows. And even if they didn’t, having Bryce stay at the Metro Court instead of here hasn’t helped your case.”

“I offered for him to stay here, he didn’t want to be an imposition. He said he would just get in the way,” Brook Lynn replied while standing up in protest, “But why does everyone think that we’re dating? Because that could not be further from the truth.”

“Wait. Who do you mean by everyone?” Olivia asked as she stood up and placed a hand on her hip.

“Well, you were the one who said all of Port Charles could tell something else was going on.” 

“Yeah, and I was overexaggerating to make my point. Who else has discussed this with you.”

Brook Lynn shook her head as she looked down at the table, she hated that she had fallen into one of Olivia’s traps. She used to be so good at avoiding them but her year away from Port Charles had caused her to be out of practice. She quickly cursed herself under her breath before she confessed, “Chase might have mentioned something about it when I told him about the NDA.”

Olivia raised her eyebrows and was probably about to tell her stepdaughter: I told you so when Brook Lynn quickly interjected, “And he didn’t do it for the reason you’re thinking. He only mentioned it because he thinks that I need to tell Bryce about the whole Linc situation.” 

“And I agree with him,” Olivia started as she placed a comforting hand on Brook Lynn’s shoulder, “but I also think that you need to start being honest with yourself. Not only about where things truly stand with you and Chase but also about why you’re being so adamant that your relationship with Bryce is only platonic when it’s clearly anything but.”

She looked up and did her best to blink away her tears as she replied,  “I don’t know what you want me to say, Olivia.”

“You don’t have to say anything, sweetie. But I want you to listen,” Olivia added after she gave her stepdaughter a comforting hug. “There is no rush on this. You can take all of the time in the world, but I’m worried about you. And by the fact that you are so oblivious to how these two wonderful guys feel about you because you’re afraid of getting hurt again. So you’re closing that part of you off instead. But, Brook Lynn, that’s not healthy. And not only are you hurting yourself by doing so, but you’re also hurting Chase and Bryce in the process.” 

“I don’t want to do that anymore.” 

Olivia nodded as she reached out for Brook Lynn’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I know sweetie. And I think you’re doing this in order to continue punishing yourself for everything that happened with Chase. And maybe even because of the NDA. But Brook Lynn, I need you to look me in the eyes when I saw this, you are worthy of love. And you deserve to be happy. And you can lie to yourself all you want but, sweetie, you are not happy. Yes, I know that you have this great new life in Nashville and your career is reaching heights you never thought were possible, but I don’t think that’s enough for you. Something’s clearly missing.”

“And let me guess. You think it’s love?” Brook Lynn replied, rolling her eyes and then biting down on her tongue–she knew that she would end up saying something she would regret later if she didn’t. 

“Yeah, I do. I told you this once but I’m going to tell you again. You have a beautiful heart with so much love to give and all you want is to be loved in return. So if that’s with Chase, with Bryce, or with someone else, you deserve to find out. And I, for one, think that you’ve punished yourself enough.”

Brook Lynn nodded as she used her free hand to wipe her eyes. “You’re right.”

“About what?”

“Everything,” Brook Lynn replied while laughing, “I’ll at least think about it okay?”

“That’s all I’m asking. And boy, do you know how to pick ‘em.” 

“What do you mean by that?”

“Both Chase and Bryce are very easy on the eyes and they both look at you like you hung the moon. Do you know how many girls would kill to be in your position?”

The two of them broke out in a bout of laughter and Brook Lynn couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed or smiled that much. Usually, she was always on guard, always on the lookout for the next bad thing to happen. But she didn’t have to do that anymore, at least not while she was in Port Charles. Almost everyone she cared about knew the truth and they were all standing by her. Which allowed her to feel a level of relief that she didn’t even know was possible. It was the same level of relief that she was starting to think that she couldn’t live without and hoped with all of her might that it would return with her to Nashville.

Just as she was finally catching her breath, she noticed that her father had entered the room. He stood awkwardly in the corner, not quite sure how to react to the scene in front of him. She watched as he took a small step forward and placed both of his hands into his front pockets as he said, “I was told there were pancakes.” 

And she wasn’t sure why, but that just caused her to laugh even more. 

*              *             *            *           *

“Hey, it’s me again. Do you have it yet?” he asked, “No, no, no I get it, these things take time. Just let me know once you do. Alright, thanks.” 

“Testing, testing,” a small smile spread across his face as he heard the familiar voice and made his way into Rice Plaza, “Is this thing on? Can you hear me now?”

“Now I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that last one is trademarked,” he joked as he approached the stage and Brook Lynn erupted into a giant smile. He had heard rumblings over the past few days about her trying to put together a concert for Bryce, but he had been so swamped with work that he wasn’t able to check in with her or see if she needed help with anything. Even though he knew perfectly well that she would never ask for it if she did. Plus the chances of her needing any help were slim. He had seen firsthand just how much of a miracle worker she could be. She managed to turn him into a household name after just a few weeks. If she could do that, then she could do anything.

“Chase! What are you doing here?” She asked as she stepped out from behind the mic and went to give him a quick hug. A bit too quick for his liking, but it was also more than he ever thought would be possible after she first returned to town two weeks ago.

He mirrored her smile before glancing around the event space, “I’m on my lunch break and since I was already in the area, I thought that I would stop by and see how the last-minute preparations for Bryce’s concert were coming.”

“If I’m being honest,” She started as she brushed some hair behind her ears, “better than expected. Can you believe I was able to throw all this together in only three days?” 

“Oh I believe it,” he said before biting his bottom lip and looking down for a brief moment, “I am intrigued about why you chose Rice Plaza though. Isn’t it still kind of cold out for an outdoor concert?”

“Says the guy who once performed here on Christmas Eve,” she joked as they walked through the seating area until Brook Lynn stopped to rifle through a huge binder.

“Touché.”

She laughed absentmindedly as he watched her look over a checklist of items that still needed to be finalized, “But in all seriousness, deciding to have Bryce perform here was a pretty easy decision. Especially since both The Haunted Star and The Savoy were already booked. And even though I’m sure Olivia and Nina would have let me use the Metro Court Ballroom, I didn’t want to deal with Lucy’s possible wrath.” 

“So it just made more sense to hold it here.” 

“Exactly. And it’s practically spring anyway. The weather hopefully won’t be too much of an issue. But if it is, Olivia is closing the Gardens early tonight so we can have a few portable heaters on standby.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything,” he added as he placed a comforting hand on her elbow, pulling her closer to him so he could whisper the next part in her ear, “Does that include having extra security measures?”

She looked at him quizzically for a second before he saw the realization wash across her face as everything started to click, “I don’t think we need to worry about that. But we have Bob. Plus Uncle Sonny told me that he and Nina are planning to come tonight and he always has guards with him. So we should be covered if anything unpredictable happens.” 

“Are you sure? Because I can probably get the PCPD to send over a few extra officers.”

She gave him a soft smile as she put a hand on his chest to cut him off, “While I appreciate the offer. We’ll be fine. Bryce isn’t a big enough act to require that and I don’t want to impose on you.” 

“You won’t be.”

“I know,” she started as she stepped away from him and returned her attention to the binder in her hands, “but like I said, we’ll be fine. Bob, Sonny, his guards, and my dad will all be on high alert. Besides, even if Linc was back in town, which he isn’t by the way, he wouldn’t be caught dead at a country concert.” 

He nodded as he processed everything. He didn’t know Linc well but he knew that Brook Lynn was right. Linc wasn’t in town, hell he wasn’t even in the state of New York. Chase had been doing his best to keep tabs on him ever since he learned the truth, but it still didn’t hurt to be vigilant. If he had learned anything from his past encounters with Linc, it was that he always used the element of surprise. They could never become complacent because if they did, that would be the next time he would decide to strike. It was the main reason why Chase decided that he would do everything possible to help her gain the upper hand against her former producer. 

“Okay. But if you change your mind–”

“You’re just a call away,” Brook Lynn finished for him as she met his gaze and gave him a soft smile, “Thanks, Chase. But like I said, I think we have it covered. Plus Dante’s coming with Sam so we’ll have a police presence whether we need it or not.” 

“Don’t forget about me.”

“See like I said, we have it covered. Unlike everything else, I still have to get done before tonight.” 

Chase bit his lip as he watched her scan over her list one last time, “Is there anything I can help with? I still have a while before I’m due back at the station.” 

“I don’t think so,” Brook Lynn started as she scanned the area around her, “The seats are all set up. All the necessary paperwork for the venue is finalized and submitted to City Hall. The stage is mostly set and we’re using word of mouth and social media to publicize the event. Really all that’s left is to wait for the backing band to get here from the city so Bryce can do soundcheck, get a feel for the stage, and finalize the setlist.”

“Backing band?” 

“Yeah. Because everything happened so last minute, Bryce’s usual band wasn’t able to fly up. Luckily, Layla was able to scramble a few musicians together and they should be arriving any minute now.”

“Is Layla coming with them?”

Brook Lynn laughed as she placed the binder down and squinted at him, “Detective Chase, is that worry that I’m hearing?” 

He shook his head as he quickly explained, “No of course not. We just didn’t end things on the best of terms, that’s all.” 

“Well I wouldn’t say that,” He heard the voice of his other former manager say as he felt a small pat on the back, “More like we were both ready to move onto brighter and better things when that partnership finally came to an end.” 

He slowly nodded as he turned his attention toward her, “Layla, nice to see you again.” 

“Nice to see you too, Detective Brat.” 

“Detective Brat?” Brook Lynn asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. 

“It’s just what we call him back in the old neighborhood now,” Layla added as she smirked at him and he felt just as awkward and confused as the day he had first met her. “Actually that’s the PG version. I don’t think your little innocent boy scout ears could handle what we actually call you.” 

He gulped at the thought as he watched the cousins exchange looks and held a silent conversation between the two of them. One that he assumed consisted of Brook Lynn wanting to know more and Layla saying something like: Don’t worry, I’ll tell you later. He had only managed to learn a little about Layla and her relationship with Brook Lynn but he knew that they viewed each other more like sisters than cousins. And they apparently used to get into all kinds of trouble together when they were young. A fact that used to scare him, but now he understood just how strong their bond was. They would always be there for each other through thick and thin. Something that both brought a smile to his face and scared the living daylights out of him. Especially now that he knew about everything Layla did in order to protect Brook Lynn. 

“Oh before I forget,” Layla started as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a white envelope, “Here’s another royalties check. Try not to take a month to deposit this one.” 

“No promises,” he added as he took the check from her and did his best to avoid Brook Lynn’s gaze. Explaining his reluctance to deal with anything related to his failed singing career was definitely not something he wanted to get into at the moment and Brook Lynn had enough to worry about as it was.

“Also Brook Lynn, remind me later when things have settled down a bit. I have an update for you.” 

“Update on what?” Chase asked, not even trying to hide how intrigued he was. 

Layla just rolled her eyes as Brook Lynn explained, “It’s okay Layla. I told Chase everything. Besides, he’ll probably want to hear this as well. It’s about Blaze.” 

She reached out toward him and gave his hand a small squeeze while he just stared at her mesmerized. He watched as her eyes started to light up with hope as Layla started to fill them in on everything she was doing to try to get Blaze out of her contract without Linc catching on. It was evident from the moment she told him about the NDA that the guilt was eating away at her and she was doing her best to make up for it. Deciding not to sell her old songs and planning to come forward anonymously if another victim ever accused Linc of harassment was one thing but actively working with Layla to help Blaze was another thing entirely. It wasn’t just hoping for a chance to make things right, it was actively putting herself back into the line of fire in order to do so. He did his best to remain calm as he gave her hand another squeeze and listened to the rest of what Layla had to say. He was grateful for what the two of them were doing, no one deserved to be in the position Blaze was in, but he couldn’t help but feel terrified about what this meant for Brook Lynn. If their plan didn’t work that meant the chances of Linc finding Brook Lynn again would be higher. And the thought of that happening…was just too much to bear. 

“Brook Lynn!” Bryce’s excited voice called from the other side of the venue, causing Chase to come back to reality and for Brook Lynn’s hand to slip out of his. Bryce quickly jogged over to them before he continued, “Dillon just sent another draft of the video over and it looks amazing! You have to see it!”

Chase felt his stomach twist in knots yet again as he heard Brook Lynn laugh at Bryce and his childlike antics. As much as he told himself after she left his apartment that it was better for them to leave things as they were. That they just had to go on with their lives and finally come to terms that there wasn’t a future between them anymore. And that these lingering feelings he found himself having, the ones that had grown tenfold ever since he learned that she wasn’t dating Bryce, would just fade with time, a part of him knew that it was all a lie. Even though Brook Lynn came back to town for a different reason, it had also served as a chance for them to patch things up. It allowed for their story to end on much nicer terms than it had a year ago. Not only that, but he had once wished for it to be possible for them to be friends again. And now it finally looked like that was going to become a reality. He would be a fool if he tried to mess that up over some lingering pangs of jealousy.

“Oh hey Chase,” Byrce said.

“Bryce,” Chase nodded as he did his best to remain cordial.

“Are you here to help Brook Lynn with something? Also, who’s your friend?”

“This is Layla, Brook Lynn’s cousin,” he added, “We’re both here to help out any way we can.” 

“Oh that’s awesome, thanks man and it’s nice to meet you, Layla,” Bryce replied as he shook Chase and Layla’s hands.

“Okay I hate to break this moment up but we’re running on a tight schedule” Brook Lynn informed Bryce as she started to lightly push him toward the stage, “and we’re already behind. So instead of making small talk, I need you to finish soundchecking all of this equipment and then take the band back to the Metro Court to work on your setlist.” 

“Okay fine, but you’re not going to be like this when you join me on tour right?”

“I haven’t decided if I’m going yet. But why does it matter if I am? Is it because you can’t stand being told what to do?” She wondered, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Kind of. But I also like carefree Brook Lynn way better!”

“And so do I, but it’s really hard to be carefree and find all of your little quirks cute when you show up thirty minutes late to soundcheck.” 

“Hey, I was working on a song and you’re the one that said that I should make my album a priority now that the video shoot is over…Wait, you really think I’m cute?” 

Chase laughed as he watched her roll her eyes at Bryce and point toward the stage, “We can talk more about this later but right now–”

“I need to focus on soundcheck,” Bryce added as he grabbed a guitar and turned toward the band, “Do you all know the new Luke Combs song? Perfect, let’s do that one.”

Chase watched Brook Lynn closely as she made her way back to him and Layla. She was doing her best to hide a smile, but it also looked like she was lost in thought. Almost like something Bryce said caught her off guard. And if that was the case then she was probably snuck in her head, letting her thoughts run wild. He had witnessed the same thing multiple times during the Bailey scheme, especially after she had overheard him lying to Dante. Chase hated how hopeful he got at the idea of history repeating itself. Maybe Bryce had let it slip that he didn’t see Brook Lynn that way while they were planning the concert, or maybe she caught him flirting with someone between takes on his music video. But did it really matter? Brook Lynn deserved the world and the last thing he wanted was for her to think badly about herself. Whatever caught her off guard was probably about something unrelated to Bryce or to tonight’s concert. That always seemed to be Brook Lynn’s MO anyway. But if it was Bryce related…well Chase would just have to get used to it.

He did his best to distract both of them as he asked, “So, do you miss it?” 

“Miss what?” 

“Being a manager and everything that involves. Getting gigs together, telling your artist where to be and when, what they should wear, what they should say, or, as in my case, what they should eat.”

She immediately shook her head, causing Chase to scrunch his eyebrows in confusion, “Not at all.” 

“Really?” 

She scanned over Rice Plaze one more time as she pushed some invisible hair behind her ears, “Yeah. It took some time but I realized that managing just isn’t for me anymore. It’s very stressful, and constantly having to make decisions that impact someone else’s life for better or for worse…it’s not for me. Being a songwriter is a much better fit.” 

“Okay, I am officially taking that as my cue to step in,” Layla started as she pointed toward the stage, “I will oversee the rest of soundcheck, and then if there’s anything else you need after that, just let me know.” 

“Or I can handle it,” Maxie volunteered as she joined the three of them, “Sorry that I am late. Lucy was basically holding me hostage with her latest bout of Nurses Ball drama, but luckily Olivia granted her access to the ballroom early to start determining what this year’s lighting cues should be. Oh and Chase–”

“Yeah?” He said absentmindedly as he turned in her direction, 

“Lucy has you on her shortlist of must-book performers. So if you want to take this year off, I suggest you run for the hills while you still can.” 

“Good to know.” He replied, taking a minute to seriously consider it. He signed up to perform last year to honor Lucy’s memory but also because he believed that Brook Lynn would return for it. He was so certain that she wouldn’t miss it, and while he now understood why she couldn’t attend, it still hurt when he realized how wrong he was.

“Well I will take your help for however long you have to spare,” Brook Lynn added as she started pointing toward jobs that still needed to be done while Chase tried to think of an excuse so he could make a quick getaway. 

But before he did, he made a lap around Rice Plaza and did his best to keep track of all of the entrances to and from the stage. Brook Lynn was probably right about the event not needing security but he still owed it to her to do his full due diligence. He couldn’t afford to be complacent, especially now that he knew about how much Brook Lynn had sacrificed for him and for everyone else Linc had ever wronged.

As he made his way closer to the stage, he found himself listening closely to the song Bryce was currently soundchecking and was amazed by how much it reminded him of his situation with Brook Lynn:

I can say it wasn't meant to be

But maybe meant to be is misunderstood

I can't hold on to letting go

Change the way the river flows

Lovin' her's like roping in the wind

Like a runaway Southbound train

Like an Arizona desert rain

Like lightning in the sky–

“Oh my God!” Bryce exclaimed as the soundcheck came to a standstill and Chase watched as Brook Lynn sprinted toward the stage. 

“What is it?” she wondered as she stopped next to Chase and placed a hand on his shoulder in order to catch her breath. “Why did you stop?” 

A giant smile spread across Bryce’s face as he put his guitar down and hopped off the stage, “I just got a text from Caitlyn and you’ll never guess what she learned at work today.”

“Isn’t it a little early for her Wildcard shift?” Brook Lynn wondered as Chase felt her hand leave his shoulder so she could cross her arms across her chest instead. 

Bryce couldn’t help but chuckle as he added, “It is. I was talking about her job at the radio station. They got early access to next week’s Billboard charts and Some Of It is number one on Country Airplay!”

Chase watched as Brook Lynn jumped up and down in a small fit of ecstasy as she eagerly asked, “Really? You’re not messing with me are you?” 

“Trust me, this is nothing to joke about. It is one hundred percent accurate, cross my heart. Plus she sent me a picture,” Bryce replied as he held up his phone, “Go ahead and see for yourself.” 

An overwhelming amount of pride washed over Chase as he watched Brook Lynn snatch the phone out of Bryce’s hand in order to investigate the picture in question. Chase did his best to hold back a laugh as she did. Some Of I t had quickly become one of his favorites when he listened through her discography and he still found himself returning to listen to it every now and then. 

“Oh my God! I can’t believe it! My first number-one song!” Brook Lynn exclaimed as Bryce pulled her in for a hug, allowing Chase to have a front-row seat to the charged moment. Brook Lynn claimed that they weren’t anything more than friends but he was finding that hard to believe as he watched Bryce pull her closer to him and smell her hair as Brook Lynn rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

“And it will be the first of many, trust me,” Bryce said as the two of them ended their hug and Chase noticed a slight blush appear in Brook Lynn’s cheeks. 

“What about that song you sold to Keith Urban? He released it right?” Brook Lynn asked as Maxie and Layla joined them, “Did Caitlyn say anything about how Brown Eyes Baby is tracking?”

“It’s going to be a sleeper hit,” He started as he smirked at her, “It’s still in mid-twenties but I’m not worried. After all, slow and steady wins the race.” 

“That it does!” Brook Lynn added in between laughs, “And it'll be number one before we know it, but until that happens it’s back to soundcheck.”

“Ma’am yes ma’am,” Bryce replied with a little salute before he returned to the stage and picked up where he left off. 

“Congrats again Brook Lynn,” Chase started as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He quickly checked it and then added, “I’m so sorry. I have to follow up on this but I can come back and help–”

Brook Lynn shook her head as she gave him a small smile that stopped him dead in his tracks, “No it’s alright. With Layla and Maxie’s help, we’ll get everything done in record time. I’ll…see you tonight.” 

“Uh yeah, see you then,” He added before he turned to leave, making sure to wave at Maxie and Layla as he passed them. 

He started toward his car and as soon as he was out of everyone’s line of sight, he pulled out his phone and dialed a very familiar number. Just as he was about to hit the call button something else caught his ear. 

“So you’re Layla right?” he heard Maxie ask, “Brook Lynn’s cousin from Bensonhurst.” 

“I am. Should I be worried about my reputation preceding me?” Layla joked. 

“No, I promise that I’ve only heard good things. But I’m wondering something.”

“What is it?”

“Again, nothing bad. I’m just wondering if you’ll give me an honest answer to the question I’m about to ask you.”

“Well it depends on the question,” Layla added, “I only lie when it's absolutely necessary or if it would somehow benefit one of my artists or family members.” 

Or if you need to protect them. Chase thought as he took a step closer to the stone border wall, finding a small opening in the trees as he did. The two of them were in the middle of setting up a few extra rows of chairs as their conversation continued. 

“So what’s the story there?” Maxie asked as she pointed her finger toward the stage. “Has Brook Lynn told you anything about it? Because she hasn’t spoken a word of it to me and that hug earlier was anything but platonic.” 

“I agree with you there, but I’m sure you know as much as I do. Brook Lynn has been pretty tight-lipped about her love life ever since…well you know.” Maxie nodded before Layla continued, “So if there’s something else there, great. Good for Brook Lynn and I’m happy for her. But the question you should really be asking is whether or not they’ll act on it.” 

“Oh, so it's another one of those relationships.” 

“Yes and no,” Layla started as she turned toward Maxie and Chase had to quickly duck so she wouldn’t notice him, “Bryce definitely has feelings for her, it’s extremely obvious, but I think he might be waiting for her to make the first move.” 

“And do you think she will? You seem to know her better than anyone these days.”

“I’d say Bryce actually gets that title,” Layla started as she put her hand on her hip and glanced toward the stage, “he’s the one who has been spending every day with her for over a year. But that being said, I do know my cousin pretty well. And I’m fairly certain that she hasn’t realized how much Bryce has already fallen for her.”

“You can’t be serious. Everyone in town can tell. Even my daughter Georgie and she’s only thirteen. I think he actually gives Chase a run for his money when it comes to not being able to hide his true feelings whenever he’s around her.” 

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in Port Charles so I’ll have to take your word for it. But either way, Brook Lynn is built differently. If she’s aware of how Bryce really feels about her, then she’s so good at hiding it that even I can’t pick up on it. And if she has feelings for Bryce…she’s doing everything in her power to keep them at bay.” 

“She did the same thing with Chase,” Maxie started as she placed the final chair and turned toward Layla, “And we all know how well that played out.” 

“Which is exactly why she’s going to stay in denial as long as she possibly can. Because when you’ve gone through as much pain and heartbreak as Brook Lynn has…well let’s just say that if you play with fire long enough, you stop seeing it as a tool and instead only see it as something that will hurt you.” 

Chase bit his lip as he felt a pang of guilt tear through him. There was so much to process and he had no idea where to begin. All he knew was that Layla’s words had stung like a knife and he knew he was to blame for it. It didn’t matter how others tried to frame it. It was the truth. If he didn’t act as cruel as he did, then maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe she would have trusted him enough to come clean and they could have worked together to find a way to get her out of the NDA and get away from Linc for good. A way that would have allowed her to never leave Port Charles. 

He shook his head as he returned his attention back to his phone. Getting lost in his thoughts was the last thing he could afford to do. Not only was he still on the clock, but it was also the last thing Brook Lynn needed. He was no use to her in that state and whether she told him or not, he knew that she was just as worried about Linc as he was. But he wasn’t going to live in denial. He was going to do something about it, in fact, he already was. 

He hit the call button on his phone and waited patiently until he heard the other end pick up, “Hey it’s me again. I saw that you texted. Do you have it? Okay perfect, I have to get back to the station to finish my shift, but I’ll come see you as soon as I’m done. Thanks again.”

Chapter Text

“Hey Chase, do you have a minute?”

He was so engrossed in the case in front of him that he almost fell out of his chair when he heard her approach. Why was she here? She already had enough on her plate, why would she add an unnecessary trip to the PCPD? Knowing Sam, it was entirely necessary in her book. Even if it was just to drop off a sandwich for Dante, she could justify anything if she was ever cornered about it. “Uh yeah, sure. If you’re here to see Dante, he’s in a meeting with Mac. He should be out any minute though.”

“Good to know but we both know that I’m not here to see Dante.” 

He raised his eyebrows as he lowered his voice and asked, “You brought it with you?” As Sam nodded in response, he motioned toward the interrogation room before he added, “Oh okay, let’s go in here.” 

“You seem surprised even though I told you earlier that I might have something that could help you,” Sam replied as Chase grabbed a few files off his desk before opening the door to the interrogation room and following her inside. 

“I know but you also said that you were busy with Scout since she’s on spring break,” Chase started, “That’s why I said I would come see you once my shift was over.” 

“And I appreciate that, but you sounded so urgent on the phone and since you still have to bring all of this before a judge, I figured it shouldn’t wait. Plus you can basically get teenage boys to do anything if you pay them enough or promise they can use the car afterwards.”

“Oh no, should I be worried?” Chase joked as he laid the files out on the table and started to organize them. He had heard some of the horror stories from Dante about the trouble Danny and Rocco had gotten into lately. It was tame in comparison to some of the other delinquent cases he had worked in the past but he had also seen some of Dante’s latest bills from the mechanic. While the two boys weren’t breaking any laws, they still managed to find some of the most obscure ways to scratch and dent both of Sam and Dante’s vehicles. It was a running joke among everyone at the precinct at this point and some of the events were so outrageous that even the Quartermaines' ongoing battle with having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner looked pale in comparison.

Sam shook her head as she pulled a manilla envelope out of her purse, “No. It can’t be much worse than it was last time. And I may or may not have asked Mac and Jordan to have extra patrol cars out and about for the next couple of days. Maybe some of the young and eager officers can jump up the line in the race for detective if they stop the two of them from damaging any more city property.”

Chase couldn’t help but laugh as they each took a seat, “Or the two of you can find an older beater for them to drive. That’s what my parents did.” 

“Tempting and I might ask you for more details on that later,” Sam started, “but first I want to show you what I found. It’s not much but it might be enough to convince Judge Young.” 

“That sounds amazing,” Chase added as he let out a sigh of relief, “And, once again, I cannot thank you enough for doing this for me. There’s no way Jordan would have allowed me to use PCPD resources for this and even if she did, it would have taken forever to find anything with all the bureaucratic red tape I’d have to go through.” 

“Absolutely. Now I wasn’t able to find any arrest records besides the one you already have, but I did find something interesting–”

Chase leaned forward and was about to ask what it was when the sound of the interrogation room door opening interrupted them, “What’s exactly going on here? Because the idea of my girlfriend and my partner sneaking around behind my back doesn’t quite sit right with me.” 

“Chase just asked for my assistance with a case,” Sam replied as she got up from the table and greeted Dante with a quick kiss. 

“Really which one?” Dante wondered as he scrunched his eyes and stared at his partner, “Because as far as I’m concerned, there aren’t any cases on our docket that require PI services.” 

Chase took a deep breath and looked down at the table for a brief moment before he explained, “It’s not an open case. It’s more of…a side project and I promise that I will tell you all about it but you need to lower your voice and close the door first.”

“Well color me intrigued,” Dante added as he closed the door and immediately started to scan over everything on the table, “Okay, now it all makes sense.” 

“What do you mean by that?” Chase wondered as Sam let out a little laugh.

“Come on buddy, you’ve never been one to let things go. I’m actually surprised that it took you this long to dig into Linc Brown and his past. I guess seeing Brook Lynn again caused you to remember that you never truly took this guy down.”

Chase nodded as he did his best to focus on the files in front of him instead of on his partner. He was still a terrible liar and he knew that Dante would be able to see right through him if he didn’t, “Yeah that’s definitely part of it.”

“And it makes perfect sense why you asked Sam to help you out with this,” Dante continued, completely oblivious to the change in Chase’s demeanor, “If Jordan, or even Mac, finds out about this, they’ll shut you down without giving you a chance to explain yourself. The only way you won’t get in hot water with them is if you put together a rock-solid case with sufficient evidence to prove it was worth all the time and effort.” 

“Exactly, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” Chase started as he glanced over to Sam, “And Sam was in the middle of telling me what she was able to find before you interrupted.” 

“Right,” Sam said as she removed Dante’s arm from her waist and returned her attention to the envelope from earlier, “So like I was saying. None of his former clients have come forward with claims of harassment or of him being violent towards them. And we already know that the only arrest on his record is from his altercation with Brook Lynn at the Floating Rib. But I found something interesting while I was researching him.”

“What was it?” Chase asked, trying to hide how eager he was. He knew he was searching for a needle in a haystack but there was just something in Sam's demeanor that made him feel like whatever she found might end up being the break in the case he had so desperately been searching for.

“I found his name in a police report,” Sam started as she reached into the envelope and handed a slip of paper to Chase, “It’s just an incident report and he was let go with a warning but it might be enough to establish a pattern of behavior.” 

Chase wasn’t sure how to feel. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t expecting more but he also knew that beggars couldn’t be choosers. Linc was smart and knew how to keep himself out of trouble. Even when Chase first arrested him, the only thing the Port Charles DA ended up charging him with was destruction of property even though there were multiple eyewitness accounts of how he had been handsy with Brook Lynn. Chase could only imagine what other kinds of incidents Linc had gotten into and sweet-talked his way out of. Or even worse, how many incidents didn’t involve the police because his clients just gave in to his demands in order to make the harassment stop once and for all? He shuddered at the thought of it as he quickly read over the report Sam had given him. It detailed how Linc had been pursuing an up-and-coming female star and was trying to get her to sign with him. 

She kept saying no and finding other ways to deflect him until they both happened to be at a music festival in California. He cornered her and tried to persuade her to sign with him one last time. The report even detailed how he had said crass things that made her so uncomfortable that when she told one of her bandmates, they convinced her to go to the police. But they ended up letting Linc go with a warning because they didn’t have enough evidence to make an official arrest for stalking and harassment. 

“Wow, you’re right,” Chase started as he handed the report over to Dante, “did you look into this Delilah McGuire at all? Did she happen to file a restraining order against him?” 

“Yes and no. The police were able to file a temporary one that protected her for the rest of the festival but as far as I can tell, she never went through the process of making it permanent once they both returned to New York. And she moved to Australia a few years ago.” 

“So she probably decided it wasn’t worth going through all that trouble since she’s on the other side of the world,” Dante started as he put the report down and started to look over the rest of the evidence Chase had gathered, “But what I don’t understand is how does this help build a case against Linc? Sam is right, this will help show that he has a pattern of imitating women but it won’t be enough to get him charged with harassment.”

Chase nodded as he explained, “That’s true but this report coupled with Brook Lynn’s account of what happened between the two of them at the Floating Rib before he was arrested should be enough to get Judge Young to sign off on a restraining order without Brook Lynn having to come in to testify. Especially if we highlight the fact that Linc isn’t afraid to cross state lines in order to get what he wants.”

“Wait, why can’t Brook Lynn appear before a judge?” Dante wondered, “If she wants this restraining order so bad then she should be willing to go through all the proper channels instead of putting your career in jeopardy again.” 

Chase took a deep breath and bit his lip before starting, “Actually–-”

“Oh, wait, I get it. Brook Lynn isn’t aware that any of this is happening. She’s returning to Nashville tomorrow and you’re going out of your way to get this for her before she leaves. And you’re either doing that for one of two reasons. Because you are genuinely scared for her safety once she leaves or, the most probable of the two, this is some grand romantic gesture that you believe will cause her to stay in town.” 

“It’s not–”

“I think it might be a little bit of both,” Sam interrupted as she turned toward Dante, “And what’s wrong with that. He’s looking out for Brook Lynn and who knows, maybe once it’s public record that Linc has a restraining order out against him more of his former clients will be willing to come forward.”

“And that could lead to the state having enough probable cause to open up a proper investigation,” Dante continued. 

Chase nodded, “Yes that would be awesome but I am not doing this as a romantic gesture. Brook Lynn and I are friends again and…I just want to make sure she’ll be safe once she returns. Linc likes to show up and wreak havoc when she’s least expecting it. This is just an insurance policy to make sure she’s protected if he ever decides to do it again.” 

“Sure whatever you say, Romeo,” Dante joked as he helped Chase pick up the remaining files, “Now why don’t you take all of this to Judge Young and see if you can get everything squared away before Bryce’s concert tonight. I’ll do my best to cover for you here.” 

“Perfect, thank you, Dante.” 

“Of course, I just wish I could do more.” 

“Do more?” Chase wondered as he grabbed the necessary materials and looked at his partner with a bewildered expression.

Dante gave his partner a shit-eating grin and couldn’t hold back his laughter as he replied, “While you see my tux is at the cleaners so you can’t borrow that. I could call Cody and ask him to bring Comet to Rice Plaza so you’d at least have a white horse to ride in on but I don’t think he’s allowed off the Quartermaine grounds and I have no idea where you could find a glass slipper on such short notice. So I guess all I really can do is cheer you on from the sidelines.” 

Chase briefly shook his head and let out an annoyed sigh, “You’re not letting this go no matter what I say, aren’t you?”

Sam nodded as she placed her arm around Dante and added, “Yeah, it’s probably best if you just go because knowing him, this could go on for a while.” 

“Seriously dude what are you doing just standing there?” Dante wondered as he opened the door for his partner before he started wildly clapping his hands, “Cinderella’s magic spell ends at midnight!”

“Okay, I’m going. Thanks again for all your help Sam, And also I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” 

Chase pointed at Dante before he replied, “I’m sorry that you have to live with him.” 

“Hey say what you want,” Dante added as he pushed Chase out of the interrogation room and back into the bullpen, “but I got the girl in the end. You won’t be able to say the same thing unless you get your ass in gear.”

Chase just rolled his eyes as he walked away from his partner and started on his way to Judge Young's office, doing everything in his power not to entertain the various thoughts that were now running through his head thanks to Dante. 

*              *             *            *           *

I could never go and leave her alone like ya did to her

Take it as a loss for what it's worth

Put a diamond on it in due time

You should let it burn, that's a lesson learned that if ya

Leave it alone, ya gotta leave it for good

I swear I'll love her like you never could

And you let her go, so don't look back

Hell, I ain't even mad that ya left her alone

Here in this bar, gave her the runaround, then broke her heart

Told her all the things that you didn't mean

Every time you came back home, you'd leave

Yeah, you left her alone just to be found

By a guy like me buying rounds

Rice Plaza was packed when Chase finally arrived. Something that both excited and terrified him. He knew that the attendance was going to be high since most of Port Charles knew that Brook Lynn would be leaving town again and the concert was also serving as a going away party. But Chase still wasn’t expecting this many people to show up. He assumed that the Quartermaines, Maxie and Sasha, Sam and Dante, and anyone who worked with Bryce on his video would attend. It would be a decent size crowd for Bryce to perform to but it wouldn’t be anything too out of control. It would be manageable and he would be able to easily scan the crowd to ensure that no surprise guests appeared. 

But as Chase found a small opening toward the back of the crowd, he quickly realized that would not be possible. He should be happy, even proud, of Brook Lynn for being able to pull off a popular event like this so last minute. And he was sure Bryce had something to do with it as well. He had one of those infectious personalities that you couldn’t help but feel happy or smile whenever you were in his presence. Clearly, the rest of Port Charles had picked up on that as well. But Chase couldn’t shake the sense of dread that came over him when he saw all those bodies packed into the crowd. More bodies meant more chances for something to go wrong. Even with Sonny’s guards providing security for the event, it didn’t mean that they were in the clear. It didn’t mean that something still couldn’t go wrong. And a bigger crowd to scan through meant that Chase would have to be hypervigilant for the rest of the night. 

Something he was more than willing to do. He would do anything to keep Brook Lynn safe even if that meant sacrificing the last chance he had to spend time with her before she walked out of his life yet again. His hand immediately went to his jacket pocket and he let out a sigh of relief as he felt the smooth and embossed paper under his fingertips. It had taken some convincing to not only have Judge Young sign off on the restraining order but to also allow Chase to deliver it to Brook Lynn himself. This wasn’t something she should be blindsided with. And after the way Dante gave him so much crap earlier about being Brook Lynn’s prince charming, part of him couldn’t stop thinking about what her reaction to it would be. It just made him want to be the one to give it to her even more. Which made the idea of spending the rest of the evening in cop mode even more infuriating. 

He quickly scanned the crowd looking for Brook Lynn. Back when he was the one performing, she would always do her best to get a front row seat. Something that he was grateful for. She was his face in the crowd. The one he could focus all of his attention on and then everything else would disappear and it would just be the two of them in the Quartermaine kitchen as he sang one of her songs to her. A small smile spread across his face as the memories came flashing back. He really was going to miss her once she returned to Nashville. His life truly was better with her in it. And he wasn’t ready to return to the duller version of it he had been living for the past year. 

He soon found her standing on the other side plaza with Maxie and Layla and he couldn’t help but stare. She was smiling from ear to ear as she swayed in time with the music while Layla was talking her ear off. Probably about how talented Bryce was and if he needed a new manager or something else along those lines. It was taking everything in him to just stand there and watch the scene play out before him. He wanted so badly to make his way over there and ask if he could talk to her alone but he knew he couldn’t do that. She lived for moments like this. Music was her passion and he wasn’t going to take that away from her. Not only that but he had no idea how often she got to catch up with Layla. For all he knew, this could be one of the last times the cousins got to interact with each other for the foreseeable future. There was no way he was going to break up their conversation and there was no easy way for him to make his way over to her even if he was insane enough to actually try it. So he would just have to settle for doing his best to enjoy the rest of Bryce’s concert while sneaking looks over in Brook Lynn’s direction whenever he could. 

“Awe man, thank you all for coming out tonight,” Bryce said as soon he finished playing another song, “It’s been so much fun playing for y’all. And we’re not ending anytime soon because we’ve reached the part of the show where I like to take the chance to perform a few songs that I wish I wrote. Now that usually includes paying tribute to some of my favorite 90s country artists like Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, or Joe Diffie. But tonight, I think I’m going to try something a little different. Tonight we’re going to kick this part of the show off with a song that was written by one of Port Charles’ own. And it’s a song that has just recently gone number one on country radio! It’s called Some of It. ”

Chase snuck another look at Brook Lynn as Bryce started to play the opening riffs of the song and he was amazed by what he saw. He didn’t think it was possible to see her smile that big or that brightly. The smile lit her whole face up and he could tell, even from the other side of the venue, that she was truly happy. She was getting everything she ever could have dreamed of and Chase couldn’t help but smile at the sight of it. She deserved all of her dreams to come true, especially after everything she had been through. Just thinking about everything Brook Lynn had sacrificed over the past few years, starting with confronting Nelle at the Nurses Ball and ending with leaving everything she knew in order to escape Linc, reminded him just how incredible she was. As well as how much of a fighter she could be when needed. His hand slipped back into his pocket and wrapped around the folded piece of paper one more time before leaning back against the stone wall to listen to what was quickly becoming one of his favorite songs.

Beer don't keep, love's not cheap

And trucks don't wreck themselves

Mama ain't a shrink, daddy ain't a bank

And God ain't wishin' well

Money ain't rich, everybody sins

And nobody wins in a fight

And sometimes wrong gets right

Some of it you learn the hard way

Some of it you read on a page

Some of it comes from heartbreak

Most of it comes with age

And none of it ever comes easy

A bunch of it you maybe can't use

I know I don't probably know what I think I do

But there's somethin' to

Some of it

As Bryce continued to play, Chase periodically scanned the crowd to ensure that everything was still under control. He probably watched the interview Linc and one of his other artists gave on the red carpet at the iHeartRadio Awards at least a dozen times to ensure that he heard it correctly. If Linc was telling the truth then he wouldn’t be coming back to New York anytime soon and as Chase continued to look through the crowd of excited concertgoers, he couldn’t help but hope that was the case. Not only was Brook Lynn thoroughly enjoying herself but so was everyone else in the crowd. He watched Dante and Sam slow dance in the middle of everyone while Ned stood over to the side with his arm around Olivia. And Ned’s smile was so huge that it almost mirrored Brook Lynn’s. Even people that Chase didn’t expect to see were having a good time. Whether it was Terry and Yuri or Molly and TJ enjoying their respective date nights or Amy and Felix partying it up on their night off, Bryce’s concert was clearly a must-attend event that would keep the town talking for a while. He even saw Michael, Willow, Sasha, and Cody dancing and giggling together as the concert went on. And the last thing he wanted was to ruin everyone’s fun, which is exactly what he would have to do if Linc, or anyone else for that matter, showed up and created a disturbance. 

He shook his head and skimmed through the crowd one more time. More out of habit but also because that meant that he would get another chance to sneak a look in Brook Lynn’s direction. But unlike all the other times he did this, he was caught in the act. She was singing along with the lyrics and swaying along to the peaceful melody. And she probably never would have caught him staring if it weren’t for Maxie who just so happened to be looking around Rice Plaza at the same time he was. When Maxie caught him, a small knowing smile spread across her face as she raised her eyebrows and did her best to get Brook Lynn’s attention. Maxie pointed at him and as Brook Lynn followed her gaze, the two of them locked eyes once again. And just like that night at the Haunted Star, it was just the two of them in Rice Plaza. Chase felt his breath get stuck in the back of his throat as he did his best to memorize every detail of her. The way her hair fell in perfect waves and framed her face. The hope that was pooling in her deep brown eyes that seemed to be just as transfixed on him as he was on her. And that beautiful smile that he had missed so much over the past year. The smile that he feared he would never see again but was now directed at him and only him. Even if it would only last for a brief moment in time, it would still be a moment that he would never forget. He smirked as he gave her a small wave. As if he was saying See I told you, I’d show up. It wasn’t much, but to him it was everything. 

He knew that he had to find her after the show. He had to tell her goodbye in person this time and he had to make sure she learned about the restraining order. He had to watch as the relief washed over when she realized that Linc could never stand in her way again. That he could never get away with being in the same room as her and if he ever tried to harass or grope her again he would end up in cuffs because of it. Chase knew that this wouldn’t be the last interaction he had with Brook Lynn before she left, but if for some reason it was, he would be okay with it. This moment couldn’t get any more perfect even if it tried.

*              *             *            *           *

“I know I’ve said it before but Port Charles you sure do know how to party!” Bryce started as he fiddled with his guitar and slightly adjusted his mic, “I have a few more songs for you and the next one is another one of Brook Lynn’s. She hasn’t sold this one yet so maybe y’all can help me convince her that I’d be the perfect fit for it. How does that sound?”

The crowd screamed in response and Brook Lynn couldn’t help but laugh at his forwardness. Bryce truly was a star in the making and he had the crowd tonight eating out of the palm of his hand. He was going to make it big one day and she loved that she got to be along for the ride. Even if that meant that he would probably find a way to boast about how awesome her songs were at every concert he had for the foreseeable future. And it didn’t help that no matter how much she fought him on it or rolled her eyes every time he did it, they both knew that she secretly loved every minute of it. 

She just so happened to catch Maxie’s smirk out of the corner of her eye as her song started to play. As if she didn’t already have enough to worry about. Now thanks to Bryce she had both Maxie and Olivia teasing her endlessly or giving her knowing smirks whenever they got the chance. And it didn’t matter how much she fought them on it or reminded them that they were just friends. It would only make them double down on it. It was all she had heard about over the past three days while she worked tirelessly to make sure this event went off without a hitch. Even Layla got in on the action earlier today but she could handle her cousin. Layla knew when Brook Lynn had reached her limit and it was time to change the conversation. Something both Olivia and Maxie sadly hadn’t learned yet. 

Absolutely not she mouthed to Maxie as she turned back to the stage just as Bryce was starting to sing:

I used to slam the door to make the pictures rattle

Use words that I knew were gonna tear them down

I lost some good love tryin' to win a battle

Then take off, never think about turnin' 'round

Now when I close my eyes all I'm asking for is a little more of

Finding blessings in the small stuff

A little more finally letting go of

Things I can't change

A little more "Stop running from the rain"

And a little more "I don't care if I lose"

A little less barroom is my go to

A little more walk in someone else's shoes

And a little more burn in my short fuse

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back as her lyrics were being sung for the first time by someone who wasn’t her. And just like that, she was transported back to the exact time and place that she wrote it. She had just returned from a bonfire at Trevor’s house. The first one she had been actually invited to and didn’t just attend as one of Bryce or Caitlyn’s guests. The one that made her realize that she was officially a member of their friend group, that she finally had a sense of belonging, and that her life in Nashville could be just that. A life. Not a cover story, not a consolation prize, but an actual life with friends who accepted her for exactly who she was. They didn’t expect her to act a certain way or care about certain things. They just enjoyed being in her presence and she felt the same way about them.

It was the moment when she finally started to see the silver lining to her situation. That all the turmoil she had to go through could end up being worth it one day. Because if the dominoes hadn’t fallen exactly the way that they did, she never would have stepped foot in Nashville. And then she never would have met Bryce, Caitlyn, or the rest of their friend group that now felt like family to her. She used to spend so much time obsessing about everything she had lost but in that moment she decided to focus on everything she gained instead. Maybe, just maybe, all of her suffering and sacrifices had been worth it. It was also when she decided to stop constantly looking over her shoulder waiting for the moment when she would have to pack everything up and start over again in a new place. She decided to start living in the moment instead. She had a great future ahead of her in Nashville whether her songs took off or not. It was the first time she felt fully content with letting that dream go if she ever needed to. 

So she sat down at her desk and funneled all her thoughts and feelings into a song. The words just poured out of her and she did everything in her power to keep up with them. It had been years since she felt that inspired and the ideas came that fast. It was probably one of the fastest songs she had ever written. And it was one of her personal favorites. It served as a retrospective of her life. It touched on where she had been and where she hoped she would go one day. It showcased just how much she had grown in a short amount of time and how hopeful she was for that trend to continue. 

And while Bryce was right about him hounding her about letting him record it, he did that with almost every song she showed him lately. She never thought anything of it. She just assumed that he was being nice in order to counteract her imposter syndrome. Or to help encourage her to sell her songs instead of locking them away to never be seen again. Either way, hearing him sing this particular song woke something in her. Something that she thought had been long buried. 

She rolled her eyes as she was reminded of the conversation she had with Olivia a few days ago. Olivia was wrong about Bryce having feelings for her and she was probably wrong about Chase as well but maybe Olivia wasn’t wrong about the rest of it. Because as she stood there and swayed in time to the music, she couldn’t help but think about the possibility of starting to date again. Maybe this moment was like that one she had months ago back in her apartment. Maybe this was the turning point where she decided that it was okay to open herself up again and that not all love stories had to end in despair. Perhaps it was finally time to stop punishing herself for everything that had ever gone wrong in her life and realize that she was allowed to be happy. That her future could include anything she wanted and if that meant not spending the rest of her life alone, that was okay. She took a deep breath as she opened her eyes and a small smile spread across her face. She liked the idea more than she thought she would. It would take a couple of months, maybe even years, to act on what she was feeling or perhaps she never would. All she knew was that she was more open to the possibility than she ever had been in the past. And the more she thought about it, the more she liked it. 

She glanced around Rice Plaza and couldn’t help but smile when she saw that everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives. Whether it was nodding their heads in time with the music or dancing with whoever they came with, there didn’t seem anyone in the crowd who wouldn’t leave tonight being a Bryce Steele fan. And the fact that they were also reacting this way to her songs, well that just was an added bonus. 

“What can I say, Brook,” Layla started as she linked her arm with her cousin, “You still got it. I didn’t think it was possible but your songs have gotten even better since moving to Nashville.” 

“Thanks…I think?” she joked. 

“No, it’s true. This is one hell of a song and if I like it, that’s saying something.” 

“Because you hate country music with a passion and fought Ma at the idea of me going there?” 

Layla thought it over for a brief moment before she replied, “Yes and no. It’s also really hard to impress me, that’s why my clients keep re-signing with me. I’ll never settle for subpar.” 

Brook Lynn didn’t reply, she just smiled and gave her cousin a side hug. Out of the things she missed, getting to catch up with Layla was a big one. She missed her family and her friends at Deception too but Layla just got her in a way that no one else ever would. They were inseparable when they were young and both ended up following the same career path. Not to mention how quickly Layla stepped in for her when she needed it most. They could Facetime and text each other, which they did quite frequently. Outside of her friends in Nashville, Brook Lynn probably stayed in touch with Layla the most but nothing beat getting to spend time with her in person. And if Brook Lynn had anything to do with it, this would not be the last time they saw each other. It would take a lot of time and patience. It might even take a few bribes but she would convince Layla to come visit her in Nashville and she wouldn’t give up until her cousin finally gave in. 

“You wouldn’t happen to know if Bryce is in need of a new manager would you?” Layla wondered, causing Brook Lynn to laugh in response. Maybe getting Layla to come down for a visit wouldn’t be as difficult as she once imagined. 

“See I told you it was a good one!” Bryce said as soon as the song ended and it was met with a thunderous round of applause. “So if you see Brook Lynn before you leave tonight please put in a good word for me!”

Brook Lynn felt her cheeks burst out into a burning blush as most of the crowd laughed and turned in her direction. Almost as if they were expecting her to sell the song to Bryce on the spot. She did her best to laugh it off before she stared daggers at him. This meant war. If he wanted to record the song so badly then he definitely would have to work for it. None of his usual puppy dog antics would cut it. 

“Okay so we have reached the last song of the night. And I’m going to be honest, I’m kind of nervous. You see I just put the finishing touches on this song earlier today and I really want to perform it for y’all. Especially after how kind you were when I played a new song for you at the Haunted Star. So I hope that you will do me the same courtesy and let me know what your thoughts are. But selfishly, I really hope y’all like it. It was written for someone really special.” Bryce informed the crowd as he made eye contact with Brook Lynn and gave her his signature megawatt smile. 

For a moment it felt like time stopped and Brook Lynn was frozen in her tracks. Did he really just say what I think he said? She thought to herself as Bryce gave her a little nod before turning to his band as they all started to play an upbeat and energetic melody. She stood transfixed, not exactly sure how to react. He couldn’t be talking about her, could he? Surely he had to be referring to someone else. Maybe he met someone in town that he couldn’t get out of his head. Maybe there was a girl back in Nashville that he was slowly falling for and was just waiting until the time was right to tell her. But as Maxie and Layla both lightly jabbed her in the side and then each gave her a knowing glance, one that seemed to say I told you so, she knew that wasn’t the case. Whatever this song was going to be about, she couldn’t deny that Bryce had written it with her in mind. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Songwriting was a very personal thing, especially in country music. Most songwriters used their real-life experiences to fuel their creative process and she knew firsthand that Bryce was one of them. It was one of the reasons why they had clicked from the moment they met. It also served as the foundation on which their friendship was built. She could lie to herself, and to others, about how there was nothing going on between them and that their relationship was purely platonic. But there was never anything platonic about writing a song about someone. She swallowed the lump in her throat and did her best to ignore everything else around her as Bryce started on the first verse:

I didn't know what I was missing

Until the second that you walked in

To that bar that night

Under those neon lights

From the moment that you touched me

I was hoping that you'd love me

Forever and ever, for all time

Didn't know that I had been so blind

But you opened my eyes

She did her best not to roll her eyes or shake her head. She knew that Bryce was watching her carefully as he performed and the last thing he needed was to get thrown off his game. One of the reasons that she agreed to organize this concert for him was so he could use the experience to practice for his tour and he had been doing a fantastic job so far. He already had the radio exposure and the artistry needed to be a successful artist, he just needed to perfect his playing live skills and then he would be the whole package. He would become the next big country star before he knew it. But she also hated how he had sprung this on her. It was one thing to write a song about her and then show it to her in private. But it was another thing to write a song about her, a catchy love song at that, and only let her listen to it for the first time as he performed it live in front of all her friends and family. How would she be able to explain their friendship and whether or not they actually had feelings for each other even if she didn’t know how she felt about it? Or even what she thought Bryce felt about it?

I was looking more single every single weekend

Looking for a feeling to get my heart beating

Looking for an up all night long

The right kiss, right song

Looking for a sunrise leading to a sunset

Looking for a someone I can spend it with

Then it came around right out of the blue

And it turns out

Oh, I was looking for you

Yeah, I was looking for you  

She heard Maxie let out a little squeal and give her a small hug as Bryce continued to sing. Clearly, Maxie approved but that still didn’t help her process everything that was happening. Bryce said that he finished this song earlier today but how long had he been working on it? And more importantly how long had he been feeling this way? Or was she just seeing something that wasn’t there like everyone else was? Maybe he just meant that he was looking for her as a friend but was smart enough to know that if he wanted to record the song for his album that it would sell better as a love song. Either way, she knew that she had to talk to him once the concert was over. She had to get answers. This wasn’t something that could be ignored and swept under the rug. She learned the hard way that never truly worked. If she didn’t tackle this now then it would just find the most inopportune time to rear its ugly head in the future. 

She felt her shock wearing off as she started to scan through the crowd and tried to see how they were reacting to the song. No matter how she felt about being the inspiration behind it, if it was gathering generally positive reviews then she owed it to Bryce as his friend, and his sometimes writing partner, to make sure it became one of the 14 tracks he got to cut for his album. And by the looks of it, that was exactly what was going to happen. Everyone was dancing along to the song and some were even singing along to it. More importantly, all the couples in attendance seemed to be using the song as an excuse to flirt with each other and turn the event into their own private concert. All signs were pointing to the song having a strong chance of becoming a major hit. Yet another thing Bryce needed in order to become the next big thing.

She did her best to let all her thoughts subside and enjoy the rest of the concert, and her final night in Port Charles. She could have the entire plane ride tomorrow to obsess and overthink everything. But right now, she needed to soak up what was left of the time she got to spend with those in Port Charles who loved her most. Even if it meant that they would be teasing her endlessly once the song was finally over. Before she knew it Sasha and Cody had made their way toward her and convinced her to dance with them. So that is exactly what she did. She spent the rest of the evening dancing and laughing away with anyone who wanted to join in and it was one of the best evenings she had in a while. It was the perfect way to finally say goodbye to the town that she had called home for most of her adult life.

As Bryce played the final notes of his song and addressed the crowd one final time, she found herself staring in his direction. Once they locked eyes, she couldn’t help but smile. No matter what happened between them after this she would always be grateful for the part he played in her life. Not only was he there for her in what was probably one of her darkest times, but he was also the reason that she got a chance to return to Port Charles and make amends. And there was no way that she would have been able to get through these last two weeks without him. 

She watched as Bryce put his guitar down and started talking to the members of his band, probably to thank them for helping him put on a hell of a show. As he did that, Brook Lynn watched as everyone in Rice Plaza started to clear out and she couldn’t help but look toward the opposite side of the venue, hoping to catch Chase’s attention again. She had been so distracted by Bryce’s surprise that she almost forgot about the small interaction she got to share with Chase earlier. It was simple and pure. And the way he smiled at her was so kind but it was also everything to her. She never thought it would be possible for him to look at her that way again and she was so glad that she was wrong about that. But she also didn’t want that to be the last interaction she had with him. If this turned out to be the last time she ever saw him then she needed to make sure that they had a proper goodbye. If not for his sake, then for hers. 

She found him in the same place as before but his head was bowed and his eyes were closed. Almost like he was lost in thought or was in the middle of trying to talk himself out of something. What it was, she wasn’t exactly sure but as she continued to watch him, she knew that it couldn’t be good, whatever it was. He kicked at the ground a couple of times and then smoothed the dirt he kicked up with his shoe before finally taking a deep breath and turning to leave. Not even taking a minute to try to find her and say goodbye. Instead, he just put his hands in his pockets and lightly shook his head before he disappeared from her view. 

Looks like your intuition isn’t as spot on as you think Olivia. She thought before she turned her attention back to Bryce. As much as Chase not saying goodbye to her stung, it wasn’t going to distract her from what she had to do next. She needed answers and she needed them now. 

“Great job! You were amazing!” she said as soon as she approached the stage and Bryce jumped down so he could give her a hug, “You were a force to be reckoned with. This was definitely a concert for the history books!”

“So what you’re saying is that I’ll be playing CMA Fest before I know it?” Bryce wondered as his signature smile returned, “You know I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without you.” 

“Well of course you couldn’t,” Brook Lynn replied between laughs, “If it wasn’t for me, your goodbye concert would have consisted of busking outside of Kelly’s.” 

“And I would have been perfectly okay with that as long as you were in the crowd,” Bryce added as he reached out for her hand.

“Listen,” she started as she took a deep breath and then stared intensely at him, “We need to talk about that final song. What exactly was that all about?” 

“It’s simple,” Bryce started as he smirked at her and lightly pushed some hair out of her face, “I just couldn’t wait anymore.” 

“Wait for what?”

“To tell you what I really think about you,” he added as he took a small step toward her, “Because I’m not doing that anymore.” 

“Doing what exactly?” 

“Waiting around for things to happen instead of making them happen myself. So here it is. I like you. I have for a long time and I think that we could be something really special. And I’m over pretending like I don’t feel this way.” 

“I…I don’t know what to say,” she replied as she removed her hand from his before putting both of her hands in her coat pockets.

“And you don’t have to,” Bryce immediately replied, “You don’t need to say anything at all. The ball is entirely in your court. I’m not expecting an answer anytime soon. It can be days, weeks, months, hell, even years. I don’t care. Take your time. Just know that if you feel the same way and you want more then all you have to do is say so. And if you just want to stay friends, then we’ll stay friends. I’m good with whatever you decide.” 

She nodded as she started to process everything. Bryce had feelings for her and wanted a relationship with her. Something that she never thought would be possible, with Bryce or with anyone else, ever again. Hell, she had turned that part of herself off and didn’t even think it was possible to reopen until earlier tonight. And now here was Bryce staring at her with his big glistening blue eyes handing his heart over to her and letting her do anything she wanted with it. 

“Okay I hate to drop this on you and just walk away but there are a lot of people here who want to talk to us and I’d like to say goodbye to the guys before they head back to the city,” Bryce started as he placed both of his hands on her shoulders, “So I’m going to go do that and again, take all the time that you need. I know that you’ll tell me once you’re ready.”

She nodded again as she finally found her voice, “Yeah I will. Now go, your adoring public is waiting.” 

He laughed at her response and as he did it was like Brook Lynn was seeing him for the first time. He was no longer her friend Bryce. He was something more. And now it was up to her to figure out what exactly that would consist of. 

Or maybe your intuition is just as spot on as it always is Olivia.

Chapter Text

Brook Lynn knew she should be concerned that her suitcase was clanging against the hardwood steps of the grand staircase as she made her way to the entryway but her mind was otherwise preoccupied. It was her last morning in Port Charles. A day that she had spent most of the trip looking forward to, but now that it was finally here, she was dreading it. She was not prepared for the mix of emotions that flooded her system when she woke up that morning. She had experienced everything from happiness and contentment to sadness, guilt, and even a little mild depression. She never expected to stay as long as she had and she didn’t realize just how much she had missed this town and everyone in it until she was faced with leaving it again. 

But she also knew that it was for the best. She couldn’t stay here. Not because she assumed that no one wanted her to but for the exact opposite. It was because of all of her loved ones that she needed to leave. It had been two weeks and there was still no sign of Linc. Something that should make her feel relieved but filled her with dread instead. Layla told her that he was in California with a client at an awards show but she knew it was only a matter of time until he returned to New York and eventually caught wind of her little visit. And if he came to town again? It wouldn’t be pretty. Or civil. Especially now that her father and Chase knew the truth. No, it was best for everyone involved for her to return to Nashville. It wasn’t just about her and her safety anymore. The longer she stayed off his radar, the better it was for everyone involved. 

A point she had been making abundantly clear to Olivia over the past few days. Whenever she caught her stepmother trying to bring up the idea of her staying, she would cut her off immediately. She had a life outside of Port Charles and it was past time she returned to it. But she wasn’t entirely sure who she kept trying so hard to persuade: Olivia or herself. She was excited to get back to her life in Nashville but she also hated the fact that she had to say goodbye to everyone again. And even though she would get to do it the right way this time, it still didn’t make the process any easier. 

Which was something Olivia sensed as well. Or at least that’s what Brook Lynn assumed when she was surprised that morning with a goodbye brunch that her stepmother had managed to put together. It was small and only consisted of family, but it was exactly what she needed. Instead of spending her last hours in Port Charles tracking everyone down in order to say goodbye, they were all in one place and she wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally missing anyone. And before she knew it, her morning consisted of good food, even better company, and lots of laughs. She did everything in her power to soak in every moment and not focus on anything else. She wanted to remember everything. From the assortment of dishes, Olivia made to the memories that were shared while her father, Uncle Sonny, and even Michael and Dante took turns telling their favorite Brook Lynn stories as everyone else listened in and enjoyed their meal. 

Normally, she would have hated the whole ordeal. Everyone telling stories or making jokes at her expense. But not this time. It was a moment that she would look back on whenever she felt homesick or felt guilty for missing one of Leo’s recitals or one of Wiley and Amelia’s birthday parties. Instead of thinking about how much she missed everyone or how everyone missed her, she could just picture the smiles she saw on Michael and Willow’s faces. Or the jokes she caught her father and Sonny exchanging when they thought no one was watching. She could also remember the way Olivia reached out and squeezed her hand throughout the meal. Almost as if to say: we love you, don’t ever forget that. 

As much as she loved the entire morning, it did not make what came next any easier. Saying goodbye. Some were easier than others. Especially when Willow and Sasha both refused to say goodbye because they knew that she would be back for another visit eventually. Michael was another easy one, mostly because he claimed that he had to run to the office and take care of some urgent matters even though it was the weekend and Brook Lynn knew that was just an excuse for him to get away from Sonny. 

Her goodbyes with Sonny and Bob had been the hardest yet. Sonny didn’t even try to hide his concern for her and she couldn’t help but wonder what exactly her mother had told him when she first arrived back in town. Saying goodbye to Bob was difficult because Brook Lynn never could have expected their goodbye to go down the way that it did. She assumed that he would give her his signature head nod or a little handshake. Maybe he would even talk to her and say something like: it was a pleasure. But no, he did none of that. Instead, he hugged her and Brook Lynn swore she saw a little tear roll down his cheek before he pulled away and followed Sonny to the car. 

And then one of the hardest goodbyes so far had happened: Maxie and Bailey. They were probably the two people Brook Lynn was the most shocked to see when she entered the dining room that morning. Saving goodbye to them was what made everything real. This wasn’t all a dream. She had actually returned to Port Charles, conquered some of her demons, and lived to tell the tale. And as grateful as she was for the experience, she didn’t like that it had to include leaving little Bailey Lou again. She had already missed so much of her life and she didn’t like the idea of only being able to see her through a screen for the foreseeable future. There was also something in Maxie’s facade that told Brook Lynn everything she needed to know. Maxie knew better than everyone else. Even though Brook Lynn kept promising to come back for more visits, Maxie understood that wasn’t a given. Because even if Brook Lynn came back for another visit, that’s all it would ever be. Nothing would ever amount from it. And then she would have to go through this entire process all over again. Which was something she’d never be able to get used to. 

Brook Lynn took a deep breath as she grabbed her phone in order to check the time. She had made it through the rest of the goodbyes in one piece but that didn’t mean that she was fully prepared for what was coming next. She had saved the most important, and probably the most heart-wrenching goodbyes for last and she had absolutely no idea how she was going to get through all of them.

Her thumb hovered over the message icon before she finally pressed down on it. While she had the chance for most of her goodbyes to be in person, there was still someone who was missing. Someone that she wouldn’t have the chance to have a proper goodbye with. And as much as she hated to admit it, it was probably for the best. But that didn’t stop her from reading over the text he sent her the night before one more time: I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk after the concert. I just wanted you to know that it was great getting to see you again after all this time and I’m glad that we got the chance to clear the air. Safe travels back to Nashville and I hope you continue to find success. You deserve it.

She couldn’t help but smile as she read over the message. Out of all the things she had hoped she would get out of this trip, closure with Chase was high on her list but she never actually thought that she would get it. She figured that he would want nothing to do with her and he would only be civil if he saw her in public. She never imagined that they would actually be friends again, but somehow, that is exactly what happened. And maybe, in the end, that would turn out to be the best thing that came out of this trip. And since that bridge was now mended, maybe she could finally start to forgive herself. Maybe she could finally move on with her life and everything, or everyone, that would include.

“Okay Brook Lynn, let’s focus on one thing at a time,” she told herself as she put her phone away and did a quick double check in order to make sure she had everything she needed, “Goodbyes first, important life decisions later.” 

She shook the thoughts out of her head as she glanced down the hallway and tried to decide where to go next. Olivia was probably still in the kitchen cleaning up and who knows where her dad and Leo had snuck off to. Her best bet was probably to find Bryce and save him from boredom or, even worse, getting grilled by Willow about what came next for them. Something that even Brook Lynn was unsure of thanks to Bryce’s recent revelation. All she could do was take Bryce at his word about it being her decision and that she could take all the time she needed because this wasn’t going to be a decision she made lightly. There was too much at stake for her to do that. And even though she believed she had put most of her selfish tendencies behind her, she selfishly didn’t want to do anything that could lead to her not having him in her life at all. There’s no way she would survive another loss like that. 

She took one final deep breath, doing her best to distract herself as she opened the door to the living room and called out, “Bryce, wherever you are, I think I have every–”

She stopped mid-sentence as she looked toward the couch and a small smile spread across her face. Out of all the things she thought she might see before she left, she never would have pictured this. Leo and Bryce were sitting next to each other on the couch, looking through one of Leo’s ocean books together. Brook Lynn couldn’t help but lean against the doorway and watch as her little brother pointed at different things on each page and talked enthusiastically about all kinds of creatures that called the ocean home. 

“And these are my favorite!” Leo started, a huge smile spreading across his face as he turned another page over, “There are over 300 types of squids in our oceans and the biggest one is 60 feet.” 

“So giant squids actually exist? I thought they were a myth!”

Both Leo and Brook Lynn laughed as Leo started to explain, “Giant squids do exist but they don’t attack boats like they do in movies.” 

Bryce let out a small sigh and placed a hand over his chest as he pretended to act relieved, “Okay good. I got scared there for a second.”

“Why? Squids are very smart, they are even considered to be one of the most intelligent invertebrates!” 

“Well,” Bryce started as Brook Lynn watched him get lost in thought and tried to choose his next words very carefully, “I wasn’t scared because of how smart they are. You have to be smart to survive in the ocean, especially if you’re that big! That! That’s it! It’s their size that scares me. I don’t know if I can swim in the ocean ever again. I mean what would I do if I came across one?”

Leo continued to laugh at Bryce, causing the smile on Brook Lynn’s face to get bigger and Leo started to explain, “They like the deep water, most live around 1,000 feet down and some live even deeper than that!”

Bryce smiled as he glanced over at Leo and gave him a small noogie, “Oh then I’m definitely safe. If I ever go in the ocean, I’m staying near the shore. The deepest I’ll probably ever go will be four, maybe five, feet deep.” 

“Huh,” Leo replied as he tilted his head to one side, a look that Brook Lynn knew all too well. Her little brother was thinking about something deeply, probably searching his brain for yet another interesting ocean fact to share with his newfound friend. “Did you know that’s where most shark attacks occur?” 

Bryce’s eyes grew wide as he did his best to remain calm, “Well I do now.” 

Leo laughed again as a huge smile spread across his face, “It’s more common in 6-10 feet but the chances of getting attacked are actually quite small. It’s much more likely for someone to get struck by lightning or have a vending machine fall on them.” 

“Wow! I have to say, Leo, this was quite informative. You’ve given me a lot to think about on the ride home.”

Just as Brook Lynn was going to interrupt and probably tease Bryce about this new sudden fear of the ocean, she heard someone’s footsteps coming from down the hall. Before she could turn to see who it was, she heard her stepmother call out, “Okay, Dante and Cody offered to finish cleaning up so I wouldn’t miss goodbyes. Please tell me that they haven’t left…yet.”

Brook Lynn watched as Olivia leaned against the other door frame, mimicking her actions from earlier, before she turned toward her stepdaughter with a smirk on her face and a hint of scheming in her eyes as she said, “Well would you look at that? He’s good with kids too.” 

Brook Lynn didn’t respond, instead, she slightly shook her head and rolled her eyes before she turned her attention back to Bryce and Leo. The last thing she needed before she left was for Olivia to give her another lecture about her superpower for noticing when there was a spark between two people. As helpful as their talk in the kitchen had been, it also made Brook Lynn more confused than ever before. She had never thought of Bryce in that way before her stepmother had mentioned it and even though she was still unsure about whether she’d ever act on it, she knew better than to let Olivia know that. It had been hard enough to talk Olivia out of locking every door and window in the house in order to keep her and Bryce from returning home. Brook Lynn didn’t even want to think about what her stepmother would do if she learned that Bryce had confessed his true feelings. 

“It’s time isn’t it?” Leo wondered as he looked up and his eyes met Brook Lynn’s. 

She nodded as she took a step into the living room and held her hands out toward him, “I’m afraid it is buddy. Can I get a goodbye hug?” 

Leo nodded before he got up and practically sprinted across the room before jumping into her arms. She knelt down and hugged him back as she started to stroke his hair, “You have no idea how much I’ve enjoyed getting to spend all this time with you. I’m going to miss you so much.” 

“I’m going to miss you too,” Leo added as their hug ended and he took a step back to meet her gaze, “Why do you have to go? Why can’t you stay?”

“Oh sweetie,” Olivia started as she took a step forward and Brook Lynn gave her a small dismissive wave. 

“Because Bryce and I have work we need to do,” Brook Lynn started as she reached forward and smoothed out a few creases on her brother’s shirt, “and we work in Nashville.” 

“Why?” 

“Because that’s where all the country music singers are and they’re who I write all my songs for now,” she replied, doing her best to sound upbeat and hoping that it would carry over to everyone else in the room. 

“But Dad writes and performs songs here! And so did Chase! Why can’t you?” Leo wondered as he started to bounce lightly on his feet. 

“Um,” Brook Lynn started as she looked around the room and briefly made eye contact with Olivia, silently asking for help, before finally saying, “I would love to do that buddy and I might be able to one day but right now they need me in Nashville more. It’s kind of like those whale and dolphin pods you told me about. You know how they change depending on the needs of the group and sometimes even the individual whale or dolphin.”

“And the others help out while one or more of them is gone from the original pod.”

“Exactly,” Brook Lynn added as she broke out into a small smile, “Our pod back in Nashville really misses us so we have to get back and check on them. And, just between us, that pod doesn’t run as smoothly as our pod here so they need me to keep them from getting into trouble.” 

“Uh oh,” Olivia added as joined them and put a comforting hand on Brook Lynn’s shoulder, “if they need Brook Lynn to keep them out of trouble then that pod must be in some serious trouble! Wouldn’t you agree Leo?”

Leo shrugged as he looked between Brook Lynn and Bryce before he answered, “I don’t know. Bryce doesn’t seem that bad.” 

“That’s because he’s not,” Brook Lynn said as she leaned around her brother to smile at Bryce, “He’s actually one of the best there is, but all of our friends back in Nashville have been without us for two weeks, how much chaos can unstructured pods cause in that amount of time?” 

Leo thought it over for a while before his eyes lit up and he exclaimed, “A lot!”

“So you understand why I have to go, right? It’s not because I like them more or love you any less. It’s because you have a really strong pod supporting you and my friends in Nashville don’t.” Brook Lynn explained as she pulled him for one last hug. 

“But you’ll still call me, right? And come back for my birthday?”

“I’m going to call and Facetime you so much that you’re going to get sick of me,” Brook Lynn started as she gave Leo such a big smile she hoped it would distract him enough so he wouldn’t see the tears that were starting to pool in her eyes, “And we’ll figure all the rest out, I promise.” 

“You know what I just remembered?” Bryce started as he walked over toward the two of them, “When I go on tour this summer, I have a stop in Chicago and I’m really trying to get Brook Lynn to come with me. So if she does, maybe you and your parents could meet us there! We would make a whole day of it and I hear that Chicago has a really cool aquarium!” 

“Really?”  Leo wondered as his eyes lit up and turned back towards Bryce, allowing Brook Lynn to wipe her tears before Olivia pulled her in for a hug. 

“Yeah, my friend Trevor is from there and he’s told me a lot of stories about it. I don’t know if they have any squids but I know that they have dolphins and penguins. They might even have an octopus or two!” 

“Mom, can we go?” Leo asked excitedly as he spun around and eagerly faced his mom. 

Olivia couldn't help but laugh as she replied, “We’ll talk about it. That’s all I can promise without running it by your dad first. But I think your chances of getting to go will be much higher if you go help Cody and your brother finish up in the kitchen.” 

“Deal!” Leo exclaimed as he ran out of the room so fast he looked like an old-time cartoon character.

“Well I guess I have to go on tour with you now,” Brook Lynn joked as soon as it was safe to do so, “We can’t risk letting Leo down, now can we?”

Bryce couldn’t help but smirk at her as they started toward the entryway, “if I knew that’s all it would take, I would have told your brother about the Shedd Aquarium the first time I met him.” 

Brook Lynn gasped and gave him a light smack on the shoulder as she asked, “This was all part of your plan to get me to say yes, wasn't it?” 

“Maybe,” Bryce shrugged as they approached Brook Lynn’s suitcases sitting by the door, “but you know that I’m not one to ever reveal what my true motives are.” 

Brook Lynn felt her breath get caught in the back of her throat as she bit her lip and her gaze met Bryce’s. She knew he was joking. It was one of the running gags in their friend group and it was basically his catchphrase at this point, but that didn’t stop her from thinking about last night when he laid all of his cards on the table. Proving that his ongoing joke was just that: a joke and nothing more. She felt the corners of her lips raise as he stared back at her. His mind, no doubt, was going down the same path hers was. And the more she thought about it, the less it scared her. Maybe there was something more there. Maybe it had been there all along, laying dormant just waiting for the right time to come to the surface. And maybe, just maybe, it was something she was okay with exploring one day. Just as the realization hit her, she caught Olivia staring at them out of the corner of her eye. Which reminded her that it was her decision, and her decision alone, to make regarding this issue. But that option would soon be taken away from her if she didn’t actively try to stop the moment before Olivia intervened. So she did what she’s always done best: she squinted her eyes and crossed her arms as she turned to face Bryce and asked, “Trevor isn’t even from Chicago, is he?”

“Well Smalls, you’re not the only one who can do their homework,” Bryce replied as he mirrored her posture, causing Brook Lynn to laugh and roll her eyes yet again. There was the stereotypical adolescent behavior from Bryce that she had grown to tolerate over the past year. It was just like him to remind her about how she had done a deep dive into the history of country music before her first big writing session or that she read the entire Wikipedia summary of The Sandlot after their friends decided to give her that silly nickname.

Just as she was about to reply with another witty remark, Olivia cleared her throat and started, “Okay then. Just know that I’m by no means kicking you out, but I know you have a long day of travel ahead of ya and that you probably want to head out soon so I’m going to go find your dad. Now you can talk amongst yourselves but neither of you better move an inch before I get back!”

“Yes ma’am,” Bryce replied as he nodded his head and stood at attention, almost like he was about to report for basic training.

Brook Lynn watched as her stepmother covered her mouth with one of her hands in order to hide her smile before she left the two of them alone. “Wow, I think that’s a record.” 

“Record for what?” Bryce asked as he wrapped an arm around her and gave her his signature shit-eating grin.

“For how long it took to get Olivia eating out the palm of your hand. I know she doesn’t always show it but she’s very hard to impress. Good work!”

“Well thank you,” Bryce replied as his hand traveled down her arm and rested on her hip, “If there’s only a small number of people that get that honor then I’m glad that I’m one of them.” 

Bryce stared down at her and Brook Lynn couldn’t help but get lost in his mystical blue eyes. There was just something so simplistic and comforting about being in his presence. She always felt safe around him. Even now when the state of their friendship could easily be hanging in the balance, she felt just as safe and comfortable around him as she did that first fateful night in Nashville. And that was new to her. She knew that she was an acquired taste. It always took a while for people to warm up to her and she could be the same way at times, but that was never the case where Bryce was concerned. They clicked instantaneously, there was never any awkwardness between them. It was like they knew that they were exactly what the other needed at that moment and that their lives were forever shifted because of it. They made each other better and nothing would ever change that fact. “Bryce I–”

“I heard that someone was trying to make a quick getaway without saying goodbye,” Dante said as he approached the two of them and Brook Lynn quickly stepped out of Bryce’s embrace, “Did you really think that you could get away with that again?” 

“Of course not,” Brook Lynn started as she went to hug her stepbrother, “Besides, your mother would never let me live it down.”

“You got that right,” Dante laughed as they ended their hug and she watched his eyes travel from her over to Bryce and then finally land on her small pile of luggage, “Two suitcases? Really?”

“What? I still haven’t moved all of my things to my place in Nashville yet so I figured I’d use this trip as an excuse to bring a few essentials back with me.” 

Dante’s eyes almost doubled in size as he asked, “What kind of essentials require two suitcases?”

Brook Lynn just shrugged as Bryce laughed at the exchange before he added, “Listen, I understand where you’re coming man, I really do but this is nothing. You should have seen the amount of stuff I had to lug up to Nashville when my sister moved in with me.”

“Wow, you already have him wrapped around your finger, don’t you Brook Lynn?”

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” she demanded as she crossed her arms and stared daggers at her stepbrother. 

“Uh nothing,” Dante replied as he reached his hand out toward Bryce, “Just that he must be a saint or something if he can travel with you and never complain about the amount of the stuff he, no doubt, has to drag all through the airport.”

Bryce laughed as he shook Dante’s hand, “I think that was a compliment but it doesn’t bother me one bit. It probably has something to do with all of the tours I’ve done. Compared to everything I have to travel with just to put on one show, this is child’s play. And frankly, Brook Lynn could rent a whole U-Haul and make us drive the whole way back and I wouldn’t care. As long as she’s happy, right?” 

Dante slightly nodded as he glanced between the two of them, “Uh huh. Well, I better get back to cleaning the kitchen for Ma and she’ll never let me live it down if it’s not spotless. It was nice meeting you again Bryce, make sure to keep an eye on this one for us.”

“I will definitely do that.” 

“Good, good,” Dante replied absentmindedly as he turned his attention back to Brook Lynn, “And you travel safely. Don’t be a stranger either.” 

Brook Lynn didn’t reply, instead, she just nodded and took a deep breath as she saw her father and Olivia reenter the room, signaling that the moment she had been dreading all morning was finally here. 

“Where to begin?” Ned wondered as he approached his daughter and gave a long and reassuring hug, “I can’t even begin to describe how much I’ve enjoyed having you back.”

“I know Dad, I’m going to miss it too.” 

Ned smiled lightly at her as he took both of her hands in his, “I know. Just like how I know that you probably don’t need to hear this but I’m going to say it anyway.” Brook Lynn watched as tears started to gather in her father’s eyes and she felt the same thing happening in hers. “Brookie, I am incredibly proud of you and you have no idea how grateful I am that you’re my daughter. Your successes have always been my successes and your heartaches will always be my heartaches. I am always going to be here for you and nothing is ever going to change that. So if you need anything, no matter how many miles are between us, I never want you to feel like you have to go through it all on your own. Just call me and I’ll be there, no matter what.”

“Thank you, Dad.” 

Ned shook his head as he squeezed both of his daughter’s hands, “No thanks necessary. I’m always in your corner whether you want me to be there or not. And that’s never going to change. You understand me?” 

Brook Lynn smiled as she gave her father another hug. As she did, she whispered, “I understand completely. If I ever need anything in the future, you’ll be my first call, I promise.” 

“Glad to hear it,” he replied as a huge smile spread across his face. “Do you two need me to take you to the airport?” 

“Yeah about that,” Brook Lynn started as she stepped out of the hug and turned to briefly face Bryce before she explained, “Our flight actually isn’t until tonight but we’re flying out of JFK so we’re going to spend the day in Bensonhurst.” 

“Oh I bet your mom is going to love that,” Olivia added as she gave her stepdaughter a small smile and tried to hold back her tears. 

“Yeah I’m sure she will,” Brook Lynn nodded, “That and Ma would never let me hear the end of it if I didn’t stop by to say hi. Or, even worse, she’d tell me that Grandma Gloria is going to haunt me for all of eternity.” 

Ned couldn’t help but laugh as he replied, “Yeah that definitely sounds like Lois.”

“Hey, that is nothing to joke about,” Olivia started as she quickly crossed herself, “I wouldn’t wish getting haunted on my worst enemy. So now I actually am kicking you out. We don’t want to keep Lois and Gloria waiting any longer than they have to.” 

Olivia put her arms out and pulled Brook Lynn in for a hug. Brook Lynn couldn’t help but feel like she was a little girl again as she laid her head against Olivia’s shoulder and her stepmother gently rubbed her back. She and Olivia had their differences in the past but they had always been family. It was the Bensonhurst way. Those from the old neighborhood always looked after each other and that would never change. “Thank you,” she whispered. 

“Don’t thank me yet,” Olivia replied in a hushed whisper of her own, “Now we both know that this isn’t goodbye forever. You will continue to come back for visits in the future. But since we don't know when the next one will be, I’m going to tell you this now. Don’t overthink it. Everyone deserves to have a happy ending, even you. And Bryce is one of the good ones. Trust me, they don’t get much better than him.”

She bit her lip and gave Olivia a small nod as their hug ended and she watched her father shake Bryce’s hand before Olivia pulled him for a hug as well. Everything seemed to be moving so fast as they finished their goodbyes and she felt Bryce place a comforting hand on the small of her back before leading her toward the door. Once they were in the driveway, she couldn’t help but glance back at her father and stepmother one last time. The three of them didn’t say anything, they didn’t have to, they all knew what the moment meant. They all knew how much they cared for each other and only wanted the best for Brook Lynn, even if it meant that she no longer had a life in Port Charles. She gave them one last smile and a knowing nod before she continued to the waiting rental car. 

Bryce remained quiet and didn’t say a word as he helped put her bags into the trunk and opened the door for her. She knew she didn’t have to but she didn’t want to put it off any longer. She placed a comforting hand on his forearm in order to get his attention, “Hey, can we talk?” 

“Brook Lynn if this is about last night–”

“It is,” she interrupted, “I just want–”

Bryce shook his head as he cut her off, “No. Whatever it is you have to say can wait. It was unfair of me to tell you the way that I did, especially with everything you’re going through right now. And besides, I meant it when I told you to take your time. I’m not expecting an answer anytime soon. So let’s just agree not to talk about it anymore. In fact, let’s just put the entire thing on pause until we’re back in Nashville.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah, I’m more than sure,” Bryce replied as he placed his hands in hers, “The only thing you should be focusing on right now is getting to spend the rest of the day with your family and I know you have another big writing session coming up. So let’s both take a couple of days to get our feet back on the ground before we talk through everything. And just remember, I am good with whatever you decide. Alright?”

Brook Lynn let out a sigh of relief as she nodded and gave him a little smile, “Okay, that sounds perfect actually.” 

Bryce returned her smile as he moved one of his hands to motion toward the open car door, “I couldn’t agree. Now shall we get this show on the road?” 

She nodded again as she took her seat on the passenger side and started to play with her seatbelt, “We shall.” 

*              *             *            *           *

As soon as he heard the welcome bell at Charlie’s, he knew it was a mistake. He shouldn’t be there. He was not in the right mindset and his presence would only bring everyone down. He should just leave and go back to his apartment while he still had the chance. No one else was here and he never formally accepted Dante’s invitation to join him and Cody for the game so they would probably just assume that he wasn’t up for it. And unless the bartender told on him, then no one would ever know that he actually had shown up before deciding better of it. 

Chase shook his head as he forced himself to keep walking toward the bar and watch the highlights from the latest March Madness game that had just ended. That plan would never work. Especially since there was a massive hole in it. Dante didn’t just invite him, he had basically demanded it. If Chase turned out to be a no-show then Dante would show up at his apartment and drag him back here kicking and screaming. And just like how there was no talking Olivia out of anything once her mind was made up, Dante was the same exact way. There was no getting out of this. But it was only a few hours and most of that would be taken up by the game anyway. It would all be over before he knew it. He took a deep breath as the realization hit him. Yeah, he could do this. It wasn’t going to be that bad. 

And much as he hated to admit it, he needed the distraction. He had spent the whole night agonizing over what happened at the concert and how he left without getting a chance to say goodbye to Brook Lynn. Or doing the only thing he had actually gone there for. His hand hovered over his pocket briefly before diving in to ensure that the restraining order was still there. Relief washed over him as he felt the smooth paper under his fingertips once again but that relief was also soon replaced with dread. He leaned against the bar in defeat. What was he going to do now? 

He had missed his chance last night. In more ways than he would like to admit, but the most important one was that Brook Lynn was still in the dark about the restraining order. And now he had absolutely no idea how he was going to get it to her. Yes, there was a copy on file at the courthouse and she technically didn’t need a paper copy in order to enforce it, but she still deserved to know about it. She deserved to know that she had an extra layer of protection against Linc if he ever tried to go after her again. And she deserved to know about it sooner rather than later. 

Maybe just text her? Say it just went through and you’ll mail it to her. He thought as he grabbed his phone and quickly pulled up her contact info. It wasn’t the best plan but it was all he had at the moment. And it was probably the only plausible option, especially since he let his pride get in the way the night before. And now Brook Lynn was on her way back to Nashville. Back to her new life, one that no longer included him. 

He bit his lip as the thought crossed his mind. He didn’t know why her leaving again was affecting him so much. He knew that it would happen eventually. He even wished for it when she first returned to town, but that wish was soon replaced with a new one: for Brook Lynn to be safe and happy. And being around her again just reminded him of how much he missed her and how that was what had been bugging him all along. It wasn’t guilt or wanting answers for her sudden departure. It wasn’t pent-up anger about her not writing that letter or getting lost in the land of what-ifs. It was the simple fact that his life was better when Brook Lynn was in it. And he didn’t want to go back to the way it was before. He wanted a chance to see her every day, to hear her laugh, and to experience her successes with her in whatever capacity she would have him. Even if that meant that he was permanently in the friend zone, it was still better to be miserable with her in town than to be miserable without ever getting the chance to see her again. 

But was that actually the case? Surely she wasn’t gone for good. She would have to come back eventually, even if it was just for a quick visit over the holidays, right? He couldn’t stand the idea of being wrong about that. He knew that he said their last interaction was perfect if that ended up being the last time he saw her, but that was a lie. That couldn’t be how they ended things, it just couldn’t. There had to be more to their story than that. 

Thank you. It was nice to see you too. 🙂 That was the reply he had received from her earlier. It wasn’t much but it was definitely better than just getting a thumbs up. Chase laughed as the memory crossed his mind. That text conversation and all the months they spent taking care of Bailey seemed like a lifetime ago. It was crazy just how much could change in such a short amount of time. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, and Chase, for the life of him, couldn’t decide which one it was. 

Was he grateful for the time he got to spend with Brook Lynn? Yes. Was he proud that he was able to help protect Bailey from Peter? Also yes. But that didn’t mean that he was happy about how everything else had panned out. Or that he would do everything the same way if he could go back and relive those years, especially if he knew everything that he knew now. 

“Are you sure that the guys are going to be okay with me crashing?” he heard Maxie ask behind him. 

“Of course,” Sasha replied, “Why wouldn’t they? You and Dante have been friends forever and I really want you and Cody to get more chances to get to know each other.” 

“Hey, I’ve offered Cody plenty of chances to come hang out and get to know me,” she started as Chase turned in their direction, “It’s not my fault that he learned that I was Mac’s stepdaughter and has wanted nothing to do with me ever since.”

“Come on, you know it was more complicated than that.” 

“I do,” Maxie nodded as she finally noticed Chase watching them from the bar, “Chase! Come join us!”

“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly interfere,” he started as he gave them a small wave, “I don’t want to interrupt your girl’s night…or afternoon…or outing?”

Both Maxie and Sasha laughed as Sasha patted the chair next to her and said, “No we’re here to watch the game with you and the guys. Come sit, we can catch up while we wait for them to finish up at the Quartermaines.” 

“What are they doing there?” Chase wondered, the words coming out his mouth without even realizing it as he joined the two of them at their table.

“Oh, Olivia threw a last-minute goodbye brunch together for Brook Lynn and Bryce,” Maxie started, “I’m actually surprised that you weren’t invited.” 

Chase raised his eyebrows absentmindedly as he drummed his fingers against the tabletop, “Why would I have been?”

“I don’t know. Probably because you and Dante are partners and you and Brook Lynn used to be close…and maybe even still are?”

“Maxie I–”

“But Olivia also said that she wanted it to be a small family affair,” Sasha interrupted, “The only reason Cody got invited was because she ended up making too much food and I stayed at the Quartermaines last night so that’s why I got to attend. That and I’m sure Olivia felt guilty for interrupting our morning together.” 

Chase did his best to stifle a laugh as he added, “Yeah Olivia doesn’t always have the best timing.”

“Either way,” Maxie said, “It was still nice getting a chance to see Brook Lynn one more time and get a chance to say goodbye to her without all the chaos of Bryce’s concert going on in the background. That’s why I was so sure that I would see you there today. You ended up being such a big help putting everything together…not to mention–”

“Not to mention what?” Chase interrupted. 

Maxie gave him a knowing smile as she raised her eyebrows at him, “Not to mention all the stolen glances you kept exchanging with her last night.” 

“Wait, what?” Sasha exclaimed as she eagerly glanced between the two of them, “Tell me everything!”

“There’s nothing to tell Sasha,” Chase started as his drumming against the table intensified, “I was doing extra security sweeps since more people showed up than Brook Lynn expected, and as I was doing so, Maxie caught me looking in their direction a few times.” 

“Oh, it was more than a few. And you definitely weren’t looking at her like you were just doing a security scan. I should know. I was once married to a cop, remember?”

“What do you want me to say?” Chase shrugged, “I was just doing my job.” 

“But weren’t you off duty by then?” Sasha wondered. 

Maxie put her hand up to cut him off as she added, “Not to mention that your face lit up in a way that I haven’t seen in well over a year. It’s okay to admit that you’re missing her.” 

“Of course, I’m going to miss her. It’s Brook Lynn, we’re talking about, we’re all going to miss her.” 

“Yeah but we don’t have the same history with her that you do,” Sasha added as she turned toward him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Well, that’s not true. Maxie shares some of that history after all,” he said, doing his best to redirect the attention off him. 

“You’re right I do,” Maxie added, “And Bailey and I are really going to miss seeing her every day but we’ll still have weekly Facetimes with her, what will you have?” 

“What exactly are you getting at?” 

“Do you really expect me to believe that you two are just going to stop talking to each other cold turkey again?” Maxie wondered, “You both barely survived that the first time! I can’t speak for Brook Lynn but you were miserable when she left and that’s when you were still pretending to be angry with her!” 

“I wasn’t pretending.” 

“That doesn’t matter. You were so lost without her and I’m worried that history is about to repeat itself.”

“Maxie, I know you mean well but you don’t have to worry about me, I’ll be fine.” 

“Will you though?” 

He bit his lip as he forced himself to nod his head, “Brook Lynn and I have been over for a while now. We’re friends and nothing more.” 

“Yeah keep telling yourself that,” Sasha scoffed. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” 

“Do you even know how obvious you were that night at the Haunted Star? You froze the minute I mentioned Brook Lynn and you were distant for the rest of the night even before she and Bryce showed up. So you can say that you two are friends and that you’re okay with it, but I don’t believe it for a second.” 

“And don’t think that I didn’t notice how the two of you stared at each other like you were the only ones in the room,” Maxie added, “If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought you two were staring in your own personal rom-com or fanfiction novel. And I’m sure the two of you would still be there, frozen in time, if Bryce hadn’t been on the stage performing one of their songs.” 

“And then you ran out of there like a bat out of hell once he finished. The Chase I know would never do a thing like that unless he was really hurting.” 

“Why does it matter?” Chase asked, no longer trying to hide how irritated he was, “Why does it matter how I acted that night or how I’m processing everything now?”

“Probably because you still have feelings for Brook Lynn,” Maxie started as she tilted her head to the side and gave him a soft smile, “And you don’t know what to do now that she’s gone.” 

“How could I possibly still have feelings for Brook Lynn?” Chase asked as he raised his eyebrows and the events from the past year all came rushing back to him, “She lied to me, she played God with my future, and then she skipped town so she wouldn’t have to help me clean up the damage she left in her wake.” 

“But did any of that matter when you saw her again two weeks ago?” Sasha asked, “Or are you just saying all of this now so we’ll stop bugging you?” 

“And even though all that happened, it still doesn’t change the fact that what the two of you had was real,” Maxie added as she leaned back in her chair, “or maybe even love?”

Chase squinted at the two women in front of him and didn’t bother to hide his confusion as he watched both of them eye him suspiciously and raise their eyebrows while they eagerly waited for his answer. “And so what if it was? That’s all in the past now and besides, Brook Lynn really hurt me by not writing that letter.” 

Maxie just shook her head as Chase did everything he could to convince himself that he was saying words he no longer believed in order to convince Maxie and Sasha, and not himself, that it was the truth. “Do you really expect me to believe that? Especially after everything that happened between the two of you over these last few weeks? Because your actions say differently.” 

“But who’s to say that she wouldn’t do it again?” he wondered, barely able to get the words out, “If she could go back and do things differently, would she?” 

“I have no doubt that she would,” Maxie replied while she gave him a soft smile and he felt Sasha reach for his hand. 

“I agree. I didn’t get to spend much time with Brook Lynn while she was back but it’s clear to see that she’s not the same person she was last year. Plus wasn’t she the one who managed to get you another meeting with the CCRB?”

“Yeah, she was,” Chase replied, “But she probably only did that because she felt guilty.”

“Even so, if she went way out of her way to do that for you, doesn’t it tell you everything you need to know?” 

Chase nodded as he thought back to the moment he learned that he was going to get his badge back and how all he wanted in that moment was for Brook Lynn to be there celebrating with him. But she wasn’t. For the longest time that stung more than the fact that she withheld from writing a letter of support in the first place. But now he knew better. He knew why she ended up being a no-show. How she couldn’t have been there even if she wanted to and how he was partly responsible for it even though she said differently. And as much as he tried to convince himself that they didn’t work or that they were better off as friends, it was all a lie. If that was actually the case then he wouldn’t have spent the past twelve hours feeling like his heart was ripping apart at the seams. Or replaying the events of the past two weeks wondering what would have happened if he had done anything differently. If he stayed at the Haunted Star would they have reconnected sooner? If he kissed her at Kelly’s or caught her before she left his apartment would she still be in Port Charles with him instead of in Nashville with Bryce? If he stayed at the concert last night and gave her the restraining order would it have even made a difference or was it already too late? 

“Chase? Is everything alright?” Sasha asked, bringing him back to the present. 

“Uh yeah, it is.” He replied before he turned his attention back to Maxie in order to answer her question from earlier, “I guess it does but that doesn’t matter now. It doesn’t change anything.” 

“Of course it does!” Maxie exclaimed. 

“Why would you say that?” 

“Because she was in love with you, you big dummy!”

“What?” Chase asked as he felt the room starting to spin around him. “She loved me?” 

Maxie gave him an empathic smile as she nodded, “Yeah she did. She told me right before she left town and, for what it’s worth, I think she still does.” 

Sasha nodded enthusiastically as she added, “Oh she definitely does.” 

Chase felt his breath get caught in his throat as he turned toward her, almost straining his neck as he did, and asked, “How can you be so sure?” 

“I mean, isn't it obvious?” Sasha replied, “I thought everyone saw it. There’s no way it was just me and Cody.” 

“Saw what?” 

Chase watched as Sasha looked between him and Maxie dumbfounded before she finally said, “The whole Bryce situation! He’s basically you but in hunky country singer form!”

“Huh. I don’t know if I should be insulted, flattered, or both.” 

Maxie scrunched her eyebrows and Chase could tell that she was lost in thought before she finally said, “You know what, now that you mention it, I can totally see it.” 

“Right?” Sasha started, “He’s exactly who Chase would be if he never got his badge back or broke up with Brook Lynn.”

“And that would explain why Brook Lynn swore up and down that nothing was happening between the two of them. She either doesn’t realize that Bryce has feelings for her or she doesn’t want history to repeat itself,” Maxie said, totally oblivious to how astounded Chase was by all of the revelations that were being shared. 

“Plus he looks at Brook Lynn like she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him. And don’t get me started about how he’s always singing her praises. Plus that song…”

“Oh I know,” Maxie said, “It’s a lovely song but the entire time he was singing it, I couldn't help but think about how much it reminded me of when Chase performed at The Savoy. Both couldn’t take their eyes off Brook Lynn the entire time.”

“And he was the same way at brunch today,” Sasha replied, “But as far as I could tell, Brook Lynn never even noticed.” 

“Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me. Whenever I asked her about it, she seemed shocked by the idea and said nothing was happening. She even seemed off guard when Bryce started serenading her last night. I don’t think she even realized what was happening until I hugged her.” 

“And I could be completely wrong here but it’s hard to deny just how similar they are.” 

“I completely agree,” Maxie added as she leaned toward Chase before continuing, “but the only thing that matters is whether or not he makes Brook Lynn happy, which I think he does but–”

Chase’s mind had been running a mile a minute as the two women carried on the conversation without him but he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows with interest as he asked, “But?”

Maxie gave him another soft smile as she said, “But I think she’d be way happier with you.”

“Maxie, why are you telling me this?”

“Because,” Maxie started, “It’s obvious how much you still mean to each other, and even if she decides to see where things go with Bryce, I don’t think it’ll last.” 

“What makes you say that?”

“Because it’s really hard to start something new when you still have feelings for someone else.” 

“And probably always will” Sasha finished as Chase abruptly stood up and started fishing around in his pockets, “What are you doing?”

Chase felt like he was on autopilot as he finally found his keys and grasped onto them for dear life, “Can you tell Dante I’m sorry?” 

“May I ask why?” Maxie wondered. 

Chase nodded as he started to make his way toward the door, “Because I’m not going to be able to watch the game with him. There’s somewhere else I need to be.” 

“And where is that?” Sasha asked, forcing Chase to pause in the open doorway. 

He took a deep breath before he turned to face both of them and a strange sense of calmness overtook him as he did. If any of his friends did what he was about to do, he would say that they had gone completely insane but that wasn’t the case here. This was the most sure he had felt about anything in a very long time. “Nashville.”

Chapter Text

It had been over twelve hours since Brook Lynn returned to Nashville and it still didn’t feel real. Going to Port Charles, shooting Bryce’s video, and everything that happened in between…it all felt like a highly detailed dream. And waking up in her own bed that morning only cemented that fact, at least for a little bit. But then everything came rushing back. It wasn’t a dream, it was all real. Everything that she had hoped and prayed for over the past year had happened. She got to see Bailey and Leo again, most of her family now knew the truth, Chase forgave her, and Bryce…well Bryce had made her more confused than ever. 

But he was also adamant about not rushing her decision-making process. Something that he made sure to remind her of once they stepped off the plane. He didn’t want, or expect, an answer anytime soon. And even if she had one for him, he wouldn’t accept it until a few days passed and they reached their already agreed-upon deadline. Something that she was grateful for but was also dreading at the same time. Even though she hadn’t given the idea much thought, she would much rather have to come to a decision quickly and then stick to it. That would work out much better for her in the long run than having all the time in the world to overthink everything. But this also wasn’t the type of decision that could be made lightly. And that just made it all the more difficult. 

She could spend days coming up with all the pros and cons of pursuing something with him. How it could lead to her being the happiest she’s ever been, but that it would most likely end in another devastating heartbreak. Something that she never wanted to go through again. But would Bryce really be okay with the two of them just being friends? And more importantly, would she? 

All she knew was that she would drive herself stir-crazy if she stayed in her apartment and let her thoughts run wild. She had to get out of there. As much as she missed her little humble abode and the safety net it provided; it felt like the walls were starting to close in and only a change of scenery would fix it. And to make matters worse. She had writing sessions coming up and she was completely stuck. Being back in Port Charles had been inspiring but only to a certain degree. While the trip had introduced many new ideas and avenues for her to explore, most of them had already been turned into fully-fledged songs. Which meant she would be going into these new sessions empty-handed and that idea did not sit well with her. So, like she always did when she got stuck, she decided that a walk was in order. Not only would it give her the change of scenery she desperately needed, but it would give her a chance to go to her favorite coffee shop in the area. 

And as much as the idea of going to Drips for a few hours excited her, it also made her feel conflicted. Part of the reason she liked it so much was because it reminded her of Kelly’s and normally it would be a welcome reminder, but not today. Coming to that realization only caused her to flashback to what happened the last time she was there. And then on the entire walk to Drips, all she could think of was Chase. His hazel eyes staring deeply into hers, the overpowering scent of his cologne clogging all her senses, and the way the corners of his lips would always raise slightly before he gave her one of his signature smiles. She couldn’t help but smile just thinking about it. 

For the longest time, the only image she would see when she thought of him was one filled with hurt and anger or she would remember what it felt like to feel his hand slipping out of hers. Now, it was the exact opposite. She got to see his smile again. She got to feel his calloused fingers against her cheek and his eyes lighting up anytime he saw her. And even though there would always be a part of her that wondered about what could’ve been. That maybe, just maybe, one day they could have made it work somehow, it didn’t matter anymore. She had found her closure, she’d always have something good to remember him by. It was more than she ever thought was possible a few weeks ago and that was a win in her book. 

It was coming to that revelation that probably led to her not realizing how much time had passed as she sat in that coffee shop with her open songbook, her pen flying across the pages filling them up with random lyrics. What was supposed to last only a few minutes had turned into a few hours and now she was more than prepared for her next writing sessions. But most of her day had also flown by and she barely had anything to eat, which was why she couldn’t fully process what she saw when she returned home. She assumed that it was a caffeine and jet lag-induced mirage. There was no way that it was actually happening.

No, whoever it was sitting on her patio steps was just a random stranger. Someone who was probably lost or just catching their breath before getting on with the rest of their day. And the familiar leather jacket, coif haircut, and chiseled jaw was nothing more than a coincidence. Just her seeing similarities that weren’t actually there. Just her mind being in another place, focusing on another time and on another certain someone. But as she stood there and waited for the hallucination to dissolve, for her eyes to finally adjust and show her that she was just imagining the scene before her, the more real it became. There were too many little details that she was noticing for it to be a hallucination. The way he was lost in thought, so much so that she wasn’t sure he would recognize her presence if he looked in her direction. The way his elbows sat on his knees and his hands were pressed so tightly together as they rested against his nose and his eyes slightly crinkled. It reminded her of all the times she watched as the millions and millions of thoughts he had circling his brain finally started to fall into place. And how he used them to come up with the perfect strategy for his next big move or how to solve whatever current case he was working on. All he had to do next was lower his hands, cross his arms, and clear his throat and she would have sworn that she was looking at his twin. No, it had to be him. There was no one else that it could be. It had to be Chase sitting there, patiently waiting for her to return home. 

Almost as if he could read her mind, he did just that before he scanned over the various bushes and other plants starting to bloom and made their own private inlet to her building. Almost shielding it, and her, away from the rest of the world. It was one of the main reasons the unit appealed to her most when she first rented it, but she was also eternally grateful for it now. If she really was hallucinating then hopefully none of her neighbors would see it. But if they did then then only those who had apartments in this unit would see it instead of the entire complex. And if she wasn’t hallucinating? If Chase was actually sitting on her doorstep, appearing like he was in the middle of one of those chase scenes that happened toward the end of every romantic comedy known to man. Then it was probably a good thing that they had plenty of privacy. Because even though she had no idea where any of this was going, it didn't stop her mind from running a mile a minute. Or hoping that they were about to have a classic movie ending of their own. 

She watched as Chase finished scanning the surroundings and his eyes finally met hers, rendering her breathless. Everything slowed down between them and it was almost like time was standing still before the corners of his lips perked up and his eyes filled with hope. She took a deep breath and did her best to collect herself as he slowly stood up and started walking in her direction. She did the same, meeting him halfway as they quickly closed the distance between them. “Chase, what are you doing here? How do you even know where here is?” 

He bit his lower lip and looked down at her hand before he took it in his, “I asked Layla for your address. I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t like how we left things in Port Charles and I didn’t think it was best if we had this conversation over the phone.” 

“Uh oh, should I be worried?” She asked, doing her best to keep the moment lighthearted which she knew was more for her benefit than his. He looked as nervous as she felt but that didn’t change the fact that there were millions of reasons for why he was there. And the chances were high that it wasn't the one that her racing heart and logical yet naive mind kept circling back to. “Especially since I wasn’t aware that we had done that.”

“I guess technically we didn’t,” he started as he took a deep breath and looked down into her eyes with a transfixed expression, “but there were still a few things that I wanted to tell you and never got the chance.” 

She felt mesmerized and barely realized what she was doing as she took his other hand and stared deeply into his eyes before whispering, “Like what?”

She felt him remove one of his hands from hers and almost let out a little whimper as he reached into his pocket and revealed a folded, yet very official-looking, piece of paper, “Well for starters, I wasn’t able to give you this before you left.” 

She felt butterflies in her stomach, something she never thought she’d ever feel again, as she bit her lip and took the paper from him. Every minute in his presence made it harder and harder for her to think critically about the situation and not let her imaginative thoughts run wild. And it didn’t help matters that Chase wasn’t even trying to make things easy for her. But as she finally had a chance to read the paper in her hands, all of those butterflies and feelings of hope for what this moment meant, of what possibly could have caused him to come all this way, vanished. The reason was right there, staring her in the face, spelling it all out for her in big, black, blaring letters. And just like that, any hope she had for the two of them, and their friendship going forward, was gone. She didn’t even try to hide her tears as she looked up at him, “A restraining order? Do you really think that’s necessary?” 

“Why wouldn’t I?” he wondered, acting almost as confused and lost as she currently was. 

“I don’t know, maybe because I thought that we were finally in a good place. Or that we had worked everything out and were friends again. But I guess I was wrong. I told most of Port Charles differently, but I’m not sure if I’m ever going back there. If I do, I promise you, Detective Chase, I’ll keep my distance. After today, you’ll have seen the last of me.” 

“Wait what?” Chase exclaimed before he squinted both of his eyes and briefly held his forehead as the realization hit him. He put both of his hands on her upper arms and rubbed them reassuringly, “No, you have this all wrong Brook Lynn. That restraining order isn’t against you, it’s for you…Sam, Dante, and I worked together to get an emergency one filed against Linc. If he ever comes within 1,000 feet of you ever again, he’ll be arrested on sight.”

“How did…” she started, barely being able to get the words out as she skimmed over the paper in her hands once more and realized that everything Chase was saying was true. That it truly was an order of protection for her instead of against her. Something that could, and would, be upheld in all 50 states. “Why would you do something like this for me?” 

He smirked at her as he gave her a little shrug and Brook Lynn couldn’t help but wonder if he was trying to act cool and collected just for her benefit, “Because we all need a little help sometimes. And after everything you ended up doing for me, consider this me finally returning the favor.”

“But after everything I did. After how badly I hurt you and how close you came to almost losing your badge because of me. Why would you feel like you owed me anything?” 

“Brook Lynn,” he started as one of his hands traveled down to take hers again and his thumb grazed against the back of it, “I didn’t do it because I thought I was in your debt. I did it because I care about you…I never stopped.”

“What?” she whispered as she gazed up at him, amazed that she could even get the words out as what Chase said finally dawned on her. 

He squeezed her hand again and gave her a small smile, “Listen, I know that I have a lot to make up for and it might be too late but I still had to tell ya, face to face. Brook Lynn, I miss you. And I know it’s more complicated now but I don’t care. All I want is you. And if there is any small part of you that wants to take me back and try again, then I’m all in. And I mean all in. So if you come back to Port Charles, I move to Nashville, or we colonize the moon, I’m game. Because I don’t want to be anywhere that isn’t with you.

“And before you interject and say something about how I’m not thinking clearly and I’ll probably change my mind in a few days, I promise you that I won’t. I’ve felt this way for longer than I’d like to admit and no amount of time is going to change that. You’re in my head constantly and it was like that way before you came back to Port Charles. I can’t stop thinking about you, about what we had. And I want it back. Don’t you?”

Brook Lynn felt a lump forming in her throat as she blinked a few tears away and lightly shook her head. There was no way that he was actually saying all this, it had to be another elaborate dream of hers while her brain processed everything that had happened over the past two weeks. And even if it was all real. If he really was standing there confessing his feelings for her, asking her to give him another shot, there was no way he actually meant it. Or that he wouldn’t change his mind once the adrenaline passed and he realized what he was saying. “No.” 

“No?” he replied as he squinted his eyes in confusion and reached for her other hand, “Come on, at least hear me out, Brook Lynn.” 

She shook her head, more to convince herself that this was actually what she wanted than anything else, as she glanced at some of the tulips that were starting to bloom instead of at him, “Why? You said so yourself, we don’t work.” 

She heard him let out an exasperated sigh before giving her hands another reassuring squeeze, “I only said that because I was hurt and angry. I was still processing everything and the last thing I wanted was anything that had to do with music…I never really meant any of it.” 

It was her turn to let out an exasperated sigh as she finally made eye contact with him, allowing him to see just how much that conversation hurt her and how she had been punishing herself for it ever since, “Well, it did its job. Not only was it very convincing but it finally made me stop trying to fix things and try moving on instead. Which was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and I don’t think I could do it again.” 

She felt his hands loosen their hold on hers and she used the opportunity to free one of them to wipe away a few tears as he mumbled, “Then don’t.”

“What?”

Chase put his hand under her chin and stared deeply into her eyes, almost memorizing them before squeezing her other hand, “Don’t move on, don’t bother trying to get over me. Because I’ve never gotten over you and I don’t want to. I’ve already tried like hell and all that ever happens is that I just keep getting better at lying to myself. Which isn’t good for anyone and to be honest, I don’t want to do it anymore. Brook Lynn, I’m standing here because I’m finally being honest with myself for the first time in a really long time. I finally know where I’m supposed to be and what it is that I want most.” 

He took a deep, calming breath as he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, “Because when you lose everything, it shows you what it is that you really want to hold onto.”

Brook Lynn nodded knowingly as she took a small step back and looked down at her feet, “Your badge.” 

She felt him drop her hand as he took a step back and didn’t even try to hide how astonished he was, “No. Brook Lynn, it’s you. You’re what I want to hold onto most, I don’t want to spend another day of my life without you. My life hasn’t been right since you left and Brook Lynn, I’m begging you, please help me make it right again.”

She bit her lip as she ran her hands through her hair and turned away from him, desperate to stop all of the raging impulses that were telling her to grab him by the jacket and slam her lips onto his. As much as she wanted it and yearned for it, she couldn’t do it. Not if it meant that she would end up with her heart broken all over again. “Why did you have to say that?” 

“I said it because I meant it!” Chase exclaimed as he closed the distance between them and took her hand yet again.

Brook Lynn tried her best to ignore the desperation in his voice as she gave him one final plea, “But why now? What caused this sudden realization and urgent need to fly down here and confess everything?” She shook her head and no longer tried to stop the constant tears from falling as she continued, “Why couldn’t you have just stayed in Port Charles so we could keep things the way they were? We were good again, Chase! And I finally got some closure! Maybe it’s just best for everyone involved if we end our story there and pretend like you showing up here never happened.”

“Why would we do that?” 

“Because,” she started as she squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile, “then we can make sure that we get a decent ending. That’s more than what most couples get.”

“But that’s the thing, Brook Lynn,” he replied as he used his free hand to cradle her face and gently stroke his thumb across her cheek, “I don’t want our story to have a decent ending. I don’t want our story to have an ending at all.” 

She took another deep breath as Chase smiled and looked at her like he was holding the whole world in his hands causing her to ask, “Chase, what exactly are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I’ve been an idiot,” he let out a little laugh as he lowered his head slightly to meet her eyes, “but that stops now. I want you in my life, Brook Lynn and I’m never letting you go again. You know why?” She shook her head, her eyes never leaving his as she did, causing his face to light up as he gave her another hopeful smile, “Because you are the best thing that ever happened to me and I’m done pretending like that's not the case.” 

“I–”

His smile faded for a brief second as he squeezed her hand yet again and he did everything he could possibly think of to prove to her that he was telling her the truth, “Our feelings were real, they still are, but they were also really intense. We had only been together for a few months but I was already picturing our future and what it would look like. So when I learned about you not writing that letter…I freaked. I was so afraid of getting my heart broken again after everything I had gone through in my past, so I just called things off before that could happen.” He pressed his forehead against hers again as he whispered the next part, “But I ended up breaking both of ours instead.” 

“Chase, maybe this is just the guilt talking,” she started, not even trying to step out of the embrace or pull her head away from his. She knew it needed to be said if only just to make sure that they were on the same page and were being completely honest with each other. “You feel bad for not being able to help me with Linc. And coming here, giving me this restraining order, asking me to take you back, it’s all your way of trying to make up for it.” 

He pulled away from her and she couldn’t hide the small wine that escaped her lips as he did. His hand never left hers as he stared at her in disbelief, “Do you really think that I don’t understand my own feelings? Brook Lynn, I’ve spent the last year painstakingly trying to convince myself that I did the right thing. That we were better off apart. But then I got my badge back and I felt empty. The only person I wanted to tell, wanted to celebrate the good news with, was you. And you weren’t there. I thought that after a while I would get out of whatever funk I was in and that things would go back to normal…but it never did. My life felt like a shell of its former self and I was starting to accept that it was always going to be like that until I ran into you that night at the Metro Court. And I hate to say it but it took you leaving again for me to realize that I never want to see you walking away from me again. Brook Lynn, this is it for me because what we have…it’s as real as it gets.” 

“And I couldn’t agree more,” she replied, still in whatever daze his words had created as she stared briefly at his lips before taking a deep breath, “I didn’t know that it was possible to miss someone as much as I’ve missed you this past year. You have no idea how much I want to say yes to you right now. Or how much I want to jump into your arms and have you hold me forever.” 

She watched him blink a few tears away as he cradled her face again, “Then why can’t you?” 

“Because I can’t trust myself,” she confessed as she blinked away a few more tears of her own, “What if I mess it all up again? What if I hurt you even worse than I did before? I’m not the same person I was back then but that doesn’t mean that I can promise it won’t ever happen again.” 

Chase shook his head as he used his thumb to wipe away her tears and give her a comforting smile, “No, we don’t know that. You’ve changed and so have I, but there’s no way to truly know what the future will hold. So even if one of us messes things up…and yes, the chances are high that it’ll happen again, I know that we’ll be able to get through it together.” 

“How can you be so sure?” 

“Because we love each other. And if that wasn’t enough, we also know just how miserable it is to live without the other.” 

She couldn’t help but laugh as she used her free hand to wipe away the few remaining tears under her eyes, “I forgot how much of an optimist you are.”

Chase smiled down at her as his eyes traveled down to her lips and he started to lean in, “I’m more than willing to keep reminding you of that if you agree to give us another shot…so what do you say?” 

“You have no idea how long I’ve dreamed of this. You, being here, saying that you forgive me and that you want me back…How do I know that this isn’t just another dream?” she said as she started to lean in as well and almost whispered the next part against his lips, “How can we be sure that it will work this time and we won’t have to give each other up again?”

“We can’t be sure of anything Brook Lynn. It’s next to impossible but we have this second chance in front of us and we’d be fools to pass it up. Besides, you’re the one who said that we’re not the same as we were back then. So I’m taking that as proof that things can and will be different,” He paused, just for a brief second, and before she knew it, his lips were on hers. And it was just like how she remembered, it was still the best feeling in the world. The kiss was gentle and sweet but still full of want and passion. She would never understand how he did it but he also used the kiss to show her how everything he had told her was the truth. He wanted her for her and accepted her for exactly who she was. She did her best to kiss him back in the same way, doing everything to reassure him that she felt the same. That she supported him in every possible way. And now that she was finally back in his arms there was no way she was ever going to leave them again. He pulled away sooner than she would have liked and she couldn’t help but pout, causing a slight smirk to spread across his face as he asked, “Now hopefully that helped clear things up for you?”

She nodded slightly as she stared directly at his lips, not even trying to hide how much she wanted them to be on hers again, “It did a little bit, but I…I could use some more reassurance.” 

His smile only grew bigger as she leaned toward him and he whispered, “So is that a yes Brook Lynn Quartermaine.”

She did her best to answer him with a kiss, to tell him that her answer was yes times a million. That he was it for her and he was now stuck with her whether he liked it or not, but his smile only grew bigger and turned into a smug smirk as he placed both of his hands on either side of her head and held it far enough away from him. Making it impossible for her to kiss him again until she finally gave him an answer. She rolled her eyes as she finally admitted defeat, “Yes it is, Mr. Harrison Chase. I hope you’re ready for what you’ve gotten yourself into this time.” 

“Oh, I’m more than ready.” 

“Good,” she replied as a giant smile spread across her face, “Now can I finally kiss you again?”

“You can,” he replied as he mirrored her smile and started to pull her back toward him, “But only if I don’t kiss you first.” 

And before she had a chance to give him a witty remark or tell him how much she missed it when he acted like a mushball, his lips were on hers again. She immediately kissed him back, doing her best to take control and show him just how much he meant to her. How her feelings for him had only grown stronger in the year they had spent apart and now that she had him back, she didn't have any intentions of ever letting him go again. As the kiss continued, she did her best to start leading him toward the door to her apartment. She needed more and she didn’t care how desperate it made her look. They had spent countless months being miserable without the other. They needed to start making up for lost time. And if she had anything to say about it, they wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon.